Buried with Christ
27th Mar 26 | 13:38
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Luke 23 26-43 THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS 32 John 19 25-27 Characteristic of patience
📖 Luke 23:26-43
Fri14Jan2022 – Characteristic of patience - John 19:25-27 - THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS (32) - Bible reading: Ephesians 4:1-2
“Lord Jesus, we thank You that You are calling us to exercise Your nature and character in our relationships, in the body of Christ. We give You all the glory and praise and in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”
John 19:25-27 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (26) When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" (27) Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.
Jesus was on the cross, in pain and agony but even as He hung on the church, He was building His church. He was putting in place the essential relationships within the home-church.
When the church is expressing the roles and functions of mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters, the church is bound to grow. People are hurting in different ways and home relationships are where they feel welcomed, belonged, safe and empowered.
The Lord, first, spoke with His mother and then the Lord turns and speaks with John, His beloved disciple.
(27) Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.
John was entrusted with this very special responsibility to take care of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary had to be a mother to the church and so John’s responsibility was to ensure that Mary would not have any encumbrances that would prevent her from fulfilling the task to which she had been called.
John was fulfilling his task of taking care of Mary and this is evidenced here.
Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
John was entrusted with this special responsibility and he was the Lord’s beloved disciple. John 13:23, 20:2, 21:7, 21:20,
When we love the Lord deeply, we will be entrusted with special responsibilities in His kingdom.
We saw the relationship between Apostle Paul and Timothy. Timothy was closely associated with Paul. Therefore, some of the tasks that were close to the heart of Paul, were entrusted to Timothy.
In the same way, when we seek to walk in closeness with the Lord, He will entrust some of His very special responsibilities to such. The Lord will look at some of us and say, “Other will not be able to do this work. You are the one, who can handle this task. I’m entrusting this mission to you”.
When God entrusts these responsibilities to us, we ought not to complain and grumble, but accept them from the Lord. Taking care of the elderly, in the home-church, is a special ministry that the Lord entrusts to those who are His beloved.
This responsibility of taking care of the elders include costs of time, money and other resources. These are commitments that are expected from those to whom God gives this mission.
In the parable in Matthew 25, we see the separation of the sheep and the goats. This is what the Lord will say to the sheep.
Matthew 25:40 And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'
Taking care of the elderly is our service to the Lord.
I John 3:18-19 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (19) And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.
We can talk, teach and preach about loving people but loving people in deed and in truth is an entirely different matter. Only some will love in deed and truth. Only a few will take up the responsibility of taking care of the elderly in the home-church.
These special tasks, of taking care of the elderly, may not be visible to others. Others may not know of the care that we have provided. We may never be appreciated but we must remember that nothing is hidden from the eyes of the Lord.
Taking care of the elderly is not easy. It needs much patience and care.
Ephesians 4:1-2 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, (2) with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering , bearing with one another in love,
Patience is an important characteristic that is necessary for caring for the elders. An impatient and edgy person will not be able to take care of the older generation.
James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, (3) knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. (4) But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Taking care of the elderly develops patience and patience is a critical link to maturity and development.
Thought to ponder
The Lord is always building us into His image.