John 19 - 90% of Life Is Showing Up!
As we read about the last day of Jesus' life on earth, we know all of his disciples had deserted him. So who was there for him? The people who were there for Jesus on his last day were not the people you might have expected save his mother. So let's see who showed up on Good Friday!
25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,[b] here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
We might call them the "three Mary's". Of course, you have Jesus' mother, Mary. It is hard to imagine the pain she was in. Though she might have believed that he would be raised again from the dead, this wasn't on her mind now. All she could see was her precious son beating whipped, scouraged, mocked, and humiliated. This was same miracle baby that Mary believed would be the Savior of the world. You wonder went through her mind at that moment.
It must have killed Jesus to see his mom in such emotional pain. Sometimes emotional pain is worse than physical pain. But one of the last things he did in his earthly life was to commission his beloved disciple, John to take care of his mom. It was so important to him that he had them adopt each other as mother and son. We don't see a lot of interaction between Jesus and his mom, but this is a tender moment where we see his deep love for her.
Then, we have Mary, the wife of Clopas. There is some uncertainty over who she was. Some believe she was the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Jesus often went to their house for meals, and I am sure she was dear to him asd well. Some believe Clopas was the younger brother of Joseph. This would make her Jesus' aunt. John calls her the wife of Clopas to distinguish her from his mother and Mary Magdalene who were both pretty well known. Regardless she was one of the beloved disciples of Jesus.
Finally, we have Mary Magdalene.
Importantly this is not Mary, the prostitute who Jesus forgave in front of the angry Pharisees, who were trying to stone her.
In the Bible, Mary Magdalene was a devoted follower of Jesus, healed of seven demons, who supported his ministry financially. She was a key witness to the crucifixion, burial, and was the first recorded person to see the resurrected Jesus, leading to her being called the "apostle to the apostles. (Google)
Importantly all three of these women were the first witnesses to the resurrection. In addition to these three women, we meet two men who have a lot in common.
38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.[e] 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were both members of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body over the Jewish people. Joseph gave Jesus a decent burial. Joseph was a wealthy man who bought the tomb where Jesus was laid to rest. It was a private burial plot cut into the rock. It had never been used before. This would be the tomb the stone was rolled into and guarded by the soldiers.
Nicodemus was also a member of the Sanhedrin. He bought 75 pounds of perfume and spices, which was a very costly amount. In John 3, we see Nicodemus came at night for fear of being seen with Jesus. In his third conversation with Jesus in John 3. Jesus taught him (and us) what it means to be "born again". Born of the Spirit!
What strikes me is these five people were there for Jesus, when all of his closest disciples weren't. One of my favorite sayings is,
"90% of life is showing up!"
Application
1. What is similar about these 5 people, who showed up for Jesus when he needed them the most? Do you think you would have showed up for Jesus on Good Friday?
2. How can you show up for Jesus today? Note it is not always in the extraordinary ways but the ordinary ways!
Prayer
Jesus thank you that you endured so much to save us from our sin by dying for us on the cross. May we be like those today who showed up for you when you needed them the most! Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment