I. All had forsaken Jesus when the soldiers came and arrested Him, but the Holy Spirit had dealt with these four people that stood at the cross.

A. All had forsaken Christ.

1. John 16:32 – Jesus told the disciples they would all be scattered from him.

2. John 18:8,9 – When Jesus was taken captive in the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ asked that his disciples be let go, that the scripture might be fulfilled.

3. All the disciples left, but John returned and entered into the building where the trial was being held, but he did not enter any defense of Christ.

4. It was during this time that Peter stayed outside in the courtyard, warmed himself at the fire of the enemy and denied Christ three times.

B. These four people were:

1. Mary, the mother of Christ,

2. Mary, the wife of Cleophas, (This Mary is the sister of Mary, the mother of Christ, and probably the mother of Matthew.)

3. Mary Magdalene, According to Mark 16:9, Jesus cast seven devils out of her.

a. I believe this is why Mary Magdalene was present.

b. She was not the wife of Christ, nor was she his girlfriend.

4. and John, the disciple whom Jesus loved.

a. I wonder if, when John saw the way the mock trial was going, if he went to tell the disciples what was going on, and returned to the cross with all those that wanted to accompany him.

b. The only three that wanted to go to the cross was the three mentioned above.

C. Before we study in detail the verses before us, let us first notice some very important points about Mary.

1. Mary was not a perpetual virgin.

a. Matthew 1:25 – Joseph knew Mary as his wife, only after Jesus Christ was born.

b. The fact that Joseph knew Mary in the marriage relationship proves she was not a perpetual virgin.

c. Matthew 12:47 reveals that Jesus had half-brothers.

d. Mark 6:3 mentions the name of four of Jesus’ brothers and uses the plural word "sisters", implying that Jesus had more than one sister.

e. So Mary had at least seven children – five sons and two daughters.

f. It might be noted that Jesus "adopted" his mother to John because that was his duty as the oldest son.

2. According to prophecy, it was necessary for the mother of Jesus to be present at his crucifixion.

a. Luke 2:34, 35 states, And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; 35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

b. Simeon told Mary that her son, Jesus, would bless many people, but he also told her that she would receive hurt because of Him.

c. Simeon was speaking about the "mother" part of Mary.

d. No mother would want to see her son put to death, or harmed in any way.

e. But it pleased God for Mary to see Jesus hurt.

f. It hurt her so much, Simeon described it as someone drawing a sharp sword through her soul. …(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,)…

g. Mary knew that these things must come to pass.

3. In her youth, Mary was just like any other lost person, she needed a Saviour.

a. Many people think Mary was put in position above other women, but she wasn’t.

b. Luke 1:28 declares, And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

c. The angel Gabriel told Mary that she was blessed among women, not above women.

d. Mary was saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, just like every other lost person is saved.

4. There are those today who mistakenly believe Mary was not like other people, that she didn’t need a Saviour, that she didn’t have sins, or original sin.

a. This doctrine is not new, because there were people in the days of Christ who believed the same doctrine.

b. That doctrine is wrong, and Jesus declares that it is error.

c. Luke 11:27,28 states, And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. 28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

d. This passage speaks about a certain woman who believed that Mary was blessed or different from all other women because she had borne the Christ child.

e. But listen to what Jesus says in verse 28, But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

f. Could Jesus make it any more clear that the person who hears and keeps the Word of God is more blessed than Mary?

g. You see, it is not the giving birth that makes a person blessed in the eyes of God.

h. Now listen, it is hearing and keeping the Word of God that makes them blessed in the eyes of God.

i. This is possible for you and for me. Wow!!

5. Matthew 12;46-50 reveals, While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

a. Now I would ask you, who did Christ say were his mother and his brethren (brothers)?

b. Verse 50 plainly declares, For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

c. What a special truth this is.

d. I did not live in the time when Christ walked upon this earth.

e. It didn’t happen that I was born into the same physical family Christ was born into.

f. But that doesn’t mean I am ineligible to be in the family of Christ.

g. Christ Himself declared in verse 50, For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

h. Wow!! Isn’t that a blessing? A blessing indeed!

6. Please understand that Christ isn’t putting His mother and His brothers down.

a. He isn’t doing that, but He is exalting true followers of God.

b. This is what God wants us to do.

7. Notice also that Jesus called Mary "woman."

a. Never in the four gospels did Jesus called Mary "mother."

b. Does this fact mean that Jesus didn’t like His mother, or didn’t respect her or the position she was in?

c. No.

d. It meant that Jesus knew there would come a religion that would exalt Mary above the place God put her in, and would lower Jesus from the place God put Him in.

e. So Jesus never called his mother "mother," but always called her "woman."

II. Now let us look in detail at the verses before us.

A. Notice also that Mary is standing by the cross.

1. She is not swooning, or fainting, or throwing some type of hysterical fit.

2. I have seen pictures of Mary in a swoon as she hovers, almost fainting by the cross, being supported by those that stand by.

3. But the Bible declares that Mary stands, and stands firm.

4. Nowhere else in the Bible do we find anything equal.

5. The grace of God sustained her in the time of her grief.

6. As the sword, described in Luke 2:35, is piercing her soul, she stands, nobly stands, sustained by the grace of God.

B. Many people believe that Jesus was begging pity from His mother, when he said, …Woman, behold thy son!

1. But Jesus was not doing that.

2. In fact, Jesus was directing Mary’s attention away from himself!

3. Verse 26 states, When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

4. Verse 29 continues, Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

5. Jesus was telling Mary that the beloved disciple, John, was now her son.

6. Many people may rebel at this thought, but if it is not true, why did Jesus say to John, …Behold thy mother!…?

7. Jesus was putting Mary under the supervision of John, and instructed him to receive Mary as his own mother.

C. We can also note the perfection of Christ as He was making sure His mother would be taken care of.

1. Jesus never made a mistake, and always fulfilled all parts of all laws that weren’t against His Father’s laws.

2. In Eph. 6:1,2, we find that children are instructed to obey their parents in the Lord and to honor them.

3. Christ always honored His parents; Mary, his mother, and Joseph, His step father. Honoring parents doesn’t stop when a person is married and moved from his father’s house.

4. But it continues until his parents die.

D. Remember, no matter how hard we may work, or how engrossed we may become in life, whether it be religion, or not, we should never become so engrossed in life to take care of our family, and give the proper honor and respect to our parents.

1. In I Tim. 5:8, we find that one who fails to take proper care of his family has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel.

2. Even though Jesus was upon the cross, His body racked with pain, his person in the deepest shame, his life being taken for the salvation of sinners, even though Jesus was taking care of the most important matter in the universe, still He, in his perfection, took the time and thought, and wonderful grace to take care of His widowed mother.

E. This should be a great lesson to each of us.

1. Regardless of how busy we get, or where we are, or what our life’s work is, we should always honor our parents.

2. This will be one thing we will be judged for.

3. What will your answer be?

4. Too busy?

5. Didn’t think?

6. But Jesus did a lot more than you have or will ever do, and He remembered to honor His mother (parents).

7. Remember the commandment with promise, Eph. 6:1-3.