The rich man and heaven. Sermon based on Mark 10

On Sunday, we talked about the rich man who asked Jesus about eternal life. The answer wasn't what he wanted to hear. The rich man lived in material wealth. He would have owned fields, jewels, camels and you name it. Our modern day term for his belongings is "stuff" and he was very proud of what he owned.

Methodist Church: Cades Cove

Some of his wealth that he accumulated may have been heirloom pieces from previous family, or some of his wealth may have been the result of his own work. We aren't told that. We are just told that he had a lot of "stuff".

He went to Jesus asking about eternal life and walked away empty. Jesus told him that even though the rich man had many material possessions, that he lacked one thing. I can imagine the rich ruler thinking "What is it so that I may buy it?" But, Jesus told him to sell what he had and then, to come back and follow him.

Instead, the rich young ruler decided the price was too great and walked away from eternal life.  He simply loved his equivalent of sparkly rubies, diamonds and expensive china to give them up. Eternal life ceased to matter to him when he was called upon to act on his faith. It wasn't the work of giving away his possessions that would allow him to enter the kingdom. It was that act would be an outward sign of his faith. Instead, his desire to keep what he owned demonstrated his lack of faith. And it was that lack, that would condemn him.

Are we guilty of doing the same? Do we sometimes let our "stuff" (cars, jewelry, MP3 players, tablets, crowded schedules and other signs of wealth.) get in the way of our relationship with Jesus? Can we overcome it?

This free podcast may help answer those questions. The Rich Man and Salvation

Podcasts of sermons are available online

My sermon podcasts are now available at Archive.org. The free sermon podcasts are usually shorter than 15 minutes and are free to download. All of the messages are recorded live at either of the churches that I serve. Copyright restrictions prohibit the distribution of music, so the full worship hour is not available at this time.

An attempt has been made to edit out some of the audible background noise. The substance of the sermon is unaltered, but breaks may be noticed in the message and an occasional word may be missing. Edits (if any) are made to provide you with a better listening experience. My goal is to remove noise caused by excess movement, coughing etc. The audio file is unaltered if it is unable to be edited without substantially changing the message.

It may take awhile for me to edit the Sermons, so the latest message may not be immediately available by podcast. During Advent, Holy Week and other busy times within the church it may be almost impossible for me to keep pace. I will do my best, but no promises.

Click the links below to listen to the podcasts. Feedback on the messages is always welcome. Please feel free to leave comments in the section below this blog post. Feedback on the messages is always welcome. Questions and comments are always welcome. Feel free to leave your comments in the section below this blog post. Reviews on the Archive.org page are also welcome.

Thank you for listening. The list of available podcasts is always in flux as more are added.

Available podcasts include:

Music in Worship

Easter Sunday sermon

Easter Sunday sermon notes based on Matthew 28:1-10

28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

Jesus’ resurrection meant a new beginning. First day of the week, new week = new beginning. Dawn = traditional beginning of a new day. The timing of a new week and a new day reinforced the message of a new start.

Three days fulfilled the promise that God made in John 3:9 when Jesus said, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." A new start that would be troubling to some, welcomed by others. To all, the world would never be the same.

Palm Sunday sermon based on Matthew 21:1-11

Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem for Passover when he made his triumphant entry. This was a route that he was familiar with as the one that he had taken before on many such travels. This experience would be far different from previous experiences. The route would have been as familiar to him as the route we take into work is for us.

We recognize the landmarks along our route to work. We know where the sharpest curves are and the best place to buy coffee. We have an idea of where the officers will be running radar and which potholes to avoid. We know that when we see a a certain sign, that our journey to work is coming to an end.

Jesus would have recognized landmarks on his route to Jerusalem. They would have brought comfort to him and excitement to his disciples. They were traveling a familiar route on the way to an exciting event. They were going to Passover! A celebration of the Jewish people. There was nothing to indicate anything but good tidings and joy.

The jubilant crowds gave Jesus celebrity status but they didn't understand that Jesus is Messiah. Coming “in the name of the Lord” isn't the same as recognizing him as the Messiah. The United States sends ambassadors to countries like China and Russia. Although they are empowered to represent the President, sign treaties and perform diplomatic duties.The ambassadors are representatives only.

Similarly, the crowds along the road to Jerusalem did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. They recognized his as a prophet or a teacher. He was someone to be regarded with esteem and be respected but he was not seen as the Son of God or as a leader of the people.

Dry bones no longer

Today's sermon comes out of the Old Testament, Book of Ezekiel 37:1-14. Many of you may recognize the story of Ezekiel's vision of "Dry Bones" as we move forward.This portion of the Book of Ezekiel is his account of the dry bones of the people of Israel became reborn and filled anew with the breath of God.

To understand this passage of scripture it helps to understand that Ezekiel is a Hebrew prophet, a mere mortal but also a man of deep faith. He obeyed when he was told by God to prophesy to regarding the destruction of Jerusalem. He obeyed again when told to prophesy to the restoration to the land of Israel.

Bones that would become people who would live in their own land with the absurdity that God lives, speaks and acts on behalf of the people of Israel. It is a physical and spiritual awakening of a dead people and a dead church.

The coming together of the bones can be thought of as spiritual Phoenix. The mythological creature raises from the ashes of its death to be reborn. Similarly, the dry bones that Ezekiel spoke of  were again made whole so that they may worship and serve God. These are the bones of a people who said “Our bones are dried up and our hope is lost” but to whom God replies “Not so.”

A brief look at the Stations of the Cross

Scuttlebut surrounding the Son of God movie is overwhelmingly positive in my area. I have spoken with several people who have seen it themselves and recommend it to others. The buzz made me decide to create time to hit the theaters.

There are always parts of any movie that you will like or disagree with. Overall, I think that Son of God does a pretty good job of interpreting the events leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus. The overarching meaning behind the movie is John 3:16 linked here.

Son of God seems to be based heavily upon the Stations of the Cross. Protestants who do not understand the stations may miss out on deeper meaning of several scenes from Son of  God.  For this reason, we are going to take a look at the Stations of the Cross this morning.

Why do we celebrate Lent

Did you know that not all Christian denominations celebrate Lent? Many do. Those who are Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Eastern Orthodox and United Methodist usually observe the season. It is a time of sacrifice and self-denial.

Lent isn't found in the Bible. The season is born out of a tradition that began a few hundred years after Jesus. We are looking at the traditional aspects of Lent and what it means to give something up. The sermon is going to be heavily drawn from an article that I wrote several years ago.

Why the Christian Church observes Lent and what is it appears on Yahoo. Feel free to bookmark it for future reference. This will make up the core of our discussion on March 16, 2014. Thanks for reading.

Church hospitality: Creating a more welcoming environment

This sermon on church hospitality is based on Luke 14:12-14.

Everyone has a goal of making friends and family members comfortable when they come over. We fluff pillows, clean off the couch and do our best to make everyone welcome. At parties, we take pains to introduce guests to one another and encourage conversation. Terms like “make yourself at home” or “don’t be shy” are tossed around. When we extend hospitality we want our relatives and guests to be comfortable. We want them to enjoy our time that is spent together.

During Biblical times the giving and receiving of hospitality was expected. Certainly a banquet or party was a time of fun and congeniality but hospitality to travelers could be a matter of life or death. The gift of water or food could be the very act of kindness that staved off dehydration or hunger.

Then, as now, people entertained with the idea that at some point, they too would be entertained. How often have we heard people talk about spending time at a son or daughter’s home and then turn around and say “When they come here they always stay at my home.”?

We do offer this hospitality for two main reasons. One reason is that we genuinely want to be hospitable and the other is that some form of reciprocity is expected.

Things haven’t changed much in the past several years. Jesus begins this passage with the acknowledging that people were hospitable with the expectation of getting something in return. Then, he says "Don’t do that".

Instead Jesus tells us to invite poor, crippled, lame and blind. He says to invite not just the people who cannot repay but specifically mentions the groups who are the most outcast from society.

Really, Jesus? We ask. Surely you don't mean for us to be hospitable to "those people". Are we to welcome strangers who come to church looking for money or "that" family with "the kids that tear everything up"?

Yes, Jesus says.

His message of hospitality is just as important today, as it was 2,000 years ago. The core message applies to strangers, friends - and even family members.

Birthdays, wedding receptions and other family gatherings can be interesting some times. Have you ever been to a gathering and just sat back to watch how people interacted? You can learn a lot by being a fly on the wall.

Every family has that one person that they tiptoe around at family gatherings. Some families have more than one. It could be that the person never learned how to function around others. It could be the person may have a mental illness or a physical impairment that makes others uncomfortable.

The rest of the people at the family gathering will give this person a wide berth. Instead of making the person feel at home, they’ll do anything they can to minimize contact with the “black sheep” as some families call it.

Have you ever seen that happen? If we’re honest, then I would say that most of us have witnessed this scenario at least once in our lives.

The thing is that this type of behavior doesn’t just happen at family gatherings. It can happen here, at church.

To understand this better we need to first look at the definition of hospitality. I looked to an online search engine for the answer. Bing sums it up like this:

1. kindness to visitors: friendly, welcoming, and generous treatment offered to guests or strangers

Churches often do a good job of extending kindness to others when they come in the doors. How many times have love offerings been gathered or a member help someone in need? Large or small, the actions are generous.

Hospitality also means creating a welcoming environment. Our perception as a church can differ from what visitors perceive. Both opinions are valid and both have their purposes.

What most churches strive for is to be welcoming to visitors. So how do we do that? What might that look like?

Visitors enter into a church with a lot of anxiety. They don’t know how they will be received. They may be poor in spirit and seeking. It is our job to be open and as friendly as possible. How does the church want you to dress? Will the music be contemporary or traditional? What if I sit in someone’s pew?

They are taking a leap of faith before entering into the building. These are some of the stumbling blocks that visitors have before coming into the door. Our task is to decide how best to honor the grace that brought them here and how to put our best foot forward.

Visitors begin forming an opinion of how welcoming a church is before they pull into the parking lot. They usually drive past a church frequently before coming into the door. Are entrances clearly marked? If someone has a disability then access to the building is extremely important. It goes more than being ADA compliant.

Having the right equipment in place creates a welcoming environment that makes the visitor feel more at home. If you have ever been on a walker or had a family member who used one, then you already know how important this is.

Thinking like a visitor we can ask ourselves how the parking lot and grounds look. Are they nice and tidy? Is the roadside trash picked up? Our church does a great job with both of these.

The front few minutes when they walk in is important. It is important to genuinely greet them. This is more than just saying hello. Everyone wants to feel like a person – not a pew warmer.

Just as we would introduce guests to each other in our home we need to do the same at church. Ask the visitor’s name and introduce the person to someone else. Offer to show someone where the bathroom are and where the nursery is.

Taking a parent to their child's Sunday School classroom is extremely important. Parents often feel insecure about going into a new place and immediately being separated from their children. Don't rush it if parents or children hesitate about going to the room. This is a new place and it may take some time for a child or parent to feel comfortable.

Putting a face with a name is important. That’s why the person who is doing the morning greeting will say “Hi. My name is… “ Extending hospitality to visitors in this simple way helps create a welcoming atmosphere.

Did you know that something as simple as standing up if you have an announcement to make can help make the church more inviting? This helps visitors connect faces with names and it reminds our "experienced hands" who to contact. I realize that not everyone is physically able to stand to make his or her announcement and that's okay. You comfort is a big part of what works to help people feel right at home.

Here are a few more resources:

Beyond the First Visit: The Complete Guide to Connecting Guests to Your Church

Deep and Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend

How to Wow Your Church Guests

Overcoming Anger: Matthew 5:21-26

My sermon, Overcoming Anger is based on Matthew 5:21-26. Linked below are resources that may help you in your struggle to overcome and to mend relationships. 

This passage is about getting right with God and with family and friends. First Jesus reminds the crowd of what was told to them by Moses. The he goes on to claim his authority and tells us what he has to say. They already know not to kill. Jesus puts a deeper meaning onto the words.

The crowd is essentially told that it’s not enough to simply not kill a person. The vast majority of us withhold this impulse all of our lives. This should be enough to fulfill the law of the prophets right?

No.

About the salt of the earth ...

Our sermon today is based on Matthew 5:13-16. It is part of the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus gave to his followers. This is the second part of the message. The first part was discussed last week when we looked at the Beatitudes.

Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount by telling his followers who are blessed in the kingdom of God. To those of us who are on earth, the idea of who is considered to be blessed is much different than we expect.

Last week, we talked about how radically different the beatitudes are from the views of society. Blessed are the poor, those who hunger for righteousness… when viewed through worldly eyes, these aren't the people whom we would consider to be blessed. 

The Magnificat: A devotion for the Third Sunday of Advent

Today is a look at the Magnificat found in Luke 1:46-55. The Magnificat is called Mary's for good reason. An angel has just paid a visit to tell Mary that she has been chosen to carry God's own son.

The Magnificat is her song of awe and praise to a loving God. Her words reveal her willingness to follow God’s plan for her life and her awe of being chosen for such a great honor.

Although she came from a family of deep faith (Elizabeth’s cousin) there was nothing to indicate that she had been set apart for a special reason. Mary was of marriageable age and betrothed to a man who would be her husband. She was likely involved in the pre-wedding customs of the time.

Yet, she willingly put it all aside when God called her to carry his child. One wonders if she gave a thought to the social stigma and possible ramifications that would come about because of her decision.

Would she be ostracized?
Would Joseph still marry her?
If not, then how would she support herself and her baby?

Are you a pharisee or a tax collector

Today we talked about the parable of the pharisee and the tax collector. The story is found in Luke 18:9-14. It is a message with meaning for us all.

The pharisee was thanking God that we wasn't like the other guy. You know, the um, tax collector. No, he was a person who tithed, fasted and upheld the work of the church. He thinks that he has nothing in common with the tax collector and seems to view himself as a "better" person.

On the other hand, the tax collector didn't even feel worthy to look up to heaven. The tax collector didn't compare himself with anyone else.Instead, his humble prayer was to simply acknowledge his place as a sinner and to beg for mercy. He was acknowledging his brokenness and asking to come into a right relationship with Christ.

The news is that many of us are guilty of standing with the pharisee at some point in our lives. Society generally looks down on those who live in poverty, have physical or mental health issues or who dress the "wrong" way.

Blog is back to usual after domain snafu

We are up and running again! My blog is back to usual after a domain snafu took it down for about a week. It was an arduous process but we made it.

The problem was in the auto-renewal of my www.gaylecrabtree.com domain. It was supposed to renew automatically on October 15 but didn't. Older blogs have to be transferred to a new system and I didn't get the memo.

Rocks: Glacier National Park

Fixing the problem took about a week and a marathon conversation with support. I finally was able to speak with a live person who could walk me through the process.

A new account was created on the new system, everything was re-entered. Payments aren't processed by Google Wallet anymore so that brought on more challenges.

My domain is renewed for another year. Information on the Sunday service will go up later this week and life is good again .

Note to bloggers: If your blog is older and hosted on Blogger, then you may want to check the settings. My blog is four years old and is the primary depository for my sermons, posts about homelessness, rants and life as I live. Losing all of that would have made me very sad and a little angry at the powers that run internet-and.

Having the domain renewed is a blessing. It's nice to be able to get back to work.

Psst!
In case you're looking for it, my previous post was about our Church prayer service. It was based on Psalm 106. This was a first for one of my churches and it went very well.

Keeping the Sabbath: Luke 13:10-17

The scripture Luke 13:10-17 finds Jesus healing a woman on the Sabbath. The Pharisees are adamant that there should be no work on the Sabbath and that it should be a day of rest. Jesus responds by healing the woman. Then He reminds the Pharisees that they tend to their livestock on the Sabbath and then follows by asking them if a woman should not be healed on this Holy day.

Chilhowee Mountain, TN

People around them rejoices but the Pharisees, as we know, did not have a sense of humor or good will.

The passage has raised questions on if Christians should keep the Sabbath. If so, then how should the Sabbath be kept. It also raises the question of what is work and what isn't.

In answer to the first question, the answer is yes. People should respect the Sabbath and keep it Holy. We need look no farther than Exodus 16:29 to receive this instruction.

Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.”

The command is reiterated in Hebrews 4:9-10.

There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.

How the Sabbath should be kept is open to some debate. In truth, the answer may be slightly different for each of us. Certainly, Jesus gave us instruction in Matthew 12:12.

“How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

But what does it mean to keep the Sabbath? Just what is doing good?

Healing is the obvious answer and it's one that we like. Many of us recognize Sunday as a day of rest for ourselves. We use Sunday morning as a time to come together to worship with others. It's a special day that we set aside so that we may take a break from the daily grind.

Yet, even as we set aside this period of devotion there sometimes are people who keep an eye on their watches. Tick. Tick. Tick. The minutes slowly slide by. “Hurry up, preacher.” is the thought. “I can't wait to get out of here to get to the restaurant!”

We go and enjoy our day out but we enjoy the fruits of those who labor on the Sabbath.

Let's face it. There are people whom we actually want to have working on the Sabbath. The list isn't restricted to restaurant workers. How would we feel if doctors or nurses took the day off? What about the convenience store clerk who sold us gas this morning, the pharmacist behind the counter, or the person who delivers the Sunday paper?

In this day and age, more people are working on Sunday than ever before. If we are honest with ourselves, we have to face it that most of us like it when at least some people work on the Sabbath.

The complexities of our lives pull us away from the Sabbath. We are drawn into the secular work more and more. Life encourages us to be active. We are encouraged to get more done and to be on the go at all times. The problem is that we can't go 100 miles and hour without a break. 

So, how can we keep a Sabbath day of rest? What does it look like?

Before we can answer that we have to understand that the Sabbath was created for us and not the other way around. It is a gift that we were given so that we would have time to worship God. It is a day to rest from our labors and to recharge for the days that lie ahead.

As Jesus pointed out to the Pharisees, there is work that we sometimes must do on the Sabbath. It's very difficult to keep a day off without cooking or doing some kind of work. In general, there are five ways that we can set time apart from the rat race and catch our breath. Keeping a Sabbath may look different depending on your work or family obligations.These are just ideas. 

1. Worship

This is a non-negotiable part of the Sabbath. I have already mentioned that we come together on Sunday for a time of corporate worship (may also be called community worship). Sometimes we hold a special worship on Wednesday nights as a Bible study or youth group meeting.

If church isn't holding services, then it is acceptable to have a time of personal devotion or study. People sometimes prefer to spend the morning of their day off (Sabbath day) in devotion. The time you choose is less important than the act of being in worship. This is what keeps the day Holy.

2. Reading Christian material

How many of us have time to read anymore? The Sabbath is the perfect time to do just that. Reading Christian material will help keep us focused on God.

3. Listen to Christian music

Whether it's contemporary, Southern Gospel or Christian rock, listening to Christian music can keep us in a worship frame of mind.

4. Enjoy God's creation

Tell your stress to take a hike – literally! Go for a hike in the mountains and enjoy the beauty around you. Can't get to the mountains? Take a walk around your neighborhood. Soak in the sunshine. Listen to the rain on the umbrella if it's raining outside. Pay attention to the trees, the sky and all of God's creation.

5. Do good

Jesus tells us that it is okay to do good on a Sabbath. Why not spend some time helping others? Serve in a soup kitchen, become a hospital volunteer, take a meal to a neighbor, phone someone who needs it.

Then afterward, when you come home, spend a few minutes reflecting on your Sabbath. Spend time in prayer thanking God for your day.

There are many other ways to observe the sabbath. Which one will you choose?

Dreading a new school year; Jeremiah: 29:11 brings hope

A new school year is an exciting time but it is also filled with uncertainty. How will my child do in school? Will he or she make friends? Can I afford the extracurricular activities that my child wants to be involved in? These questions and more plague the minds of parents.

On Sunday, we are going to be looking at Jeremiah 29:11 and talking about how we can apply it to a new school year or difficult time in our lives. It's one of my favorite scriptures because it reminds us that God has a plan for our lives. His plan is to give us a future filled with hope. Our task is to find a way to claim that promise and make it real in our lives.

Easy? No.
Reassuring? Yes.

I hope that you'll be part of the discussion on Sunday, August 18,2013.

Sermon on Luke 10:38-42: The Better Part

Scripture: Luke 10:38-42

Title: The Better Part

Synopsis: The "better part" that Mary chose is to focus on Jesus. When she did, that time was not taken away from her. This sermon looks at ways that we can find time for "the better part".

Luke 10:38-42

38Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” 41But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Sermon

Our world is busy. While we may claim that we're busier now than ever the truth is that we probably aren't. Every generation has wrestled with and redefined what busy looks like. Although there are some differences in how we are busy, there are many similarities that each generation has faced.

People need to be fed and the dishes done. Clothing must be cleaned. Kids need to be kept busy. Learning has to be accomplished. We say that the world is more complex but how many of the complexities have we created. Cell phones, Facebook and Twitter each bombard us with distractions.

People during the time of Mary and Martha hunted and raised food. What they didn't raise, they usually bought locally. Traders and traveling merchants would bring supplies. Sometimes, they traveled to purchase what they need.

Just as now, life is, was and always will be busy.

So, how do we find time for the “the better part”? How do we create time to spend with Jesus in our hectic busy lives? Can we do it?

Born more than 150 years after the printing of the first Bible, the man who would later become known as Brother Lawrence was born. His name was Nicholas Herman in France but was later changed to Brother Lawrence after being admitted to a monastery. His exact birth date is unknown but is thought to be around 1610.

He accepted Christ at 18 and then became a soldier in the Thirty Year War, He nearly died from an injury sustained in the war. The injury caused disabling pain that he carried for the rest of his life.

After the war, he spent a decade or so wandering in the wilderness. All who wander are not lost. Some go to find themselves. In short, he went find “the better path” by living the life of early religious fathers.

The Project Gutenburg File tells us that Brother Lawrence went on to become a civil servant. As he approached middle age, he entered a monastery as a lay servant. There he became a community cook and later repaired shoes while still volunteering to cook.

Through these later years he not only found time to serve God, but he inspired others. He died in 1691. After his passing, letters were published. The book became “Practice the Presence of God”. Then and now, the life of Brother Lawrenceserves as an example to us on how to claim “the better part”.

So strongly did he believe this that he wrote:

Let us think often that our only business in this life is to please God. Perhaps all besides is but folly and vanity. Brother Lawrence

He could have claimed to have been busy fighting in the field. Or, he could have said that he (like Martha) had work to do in the kitchen. Certainly managing the business, repairing shoes and volunteering kept him busy. Somehow, he found time to walk with God in deep faith.

If he could find time to claim the better part, then we can find ways to seek it also. In our busy lives, that is easier said than done. But there are things that we can do and ways to help us find those moments.

We are often told to set the alarm clock so we can begin our day five minutes early. That seems like a good idea on the surface and it works for some people. However; many of us hear the alarm and then hit the snooze button.

Ten more minutes of sleep! That didn't just cost us the five minutes we originally planned but it cost us an extra five minutes.

Some of us have long drives to work. We can seize this drive time and claim it for God. It too, can be spent in prayer. Playing Christian music helps put us in a prayerful mood and draws us closer to God.

We can pray any time that we do a quiet activity. If you make fishing lures, quilt or knit, then you may have a few moments when you can pray.

Have you ever been stuck forever in a drive through line at the bank or restaurant? Have you ever spent time in a doctor's office waiting room?

The more that we Practice the Presence of God, the more that we will recognize the presence of God. Our prayers don't have to be long. Even a few minutes spent in the presence of God, is the better part. Once we find time, it won't be taken away.  

Mother's Day sermon based on John 19:26-27

Mother's Day is the one day of the year that we recognize and give thanks for the mothers among us who make our lives what they are. Today we celebrate the mothers who have loved us, nurtured us and cared for us, whether they are our biological mothers, adopted or acted as surrogate mothers in the place of our own. As we celebrate the mothers that we are or will be.

Me and my girls

This passage of John 19:26-27 speaks about mothers on very different levels. The first and most obvious is that in this passage, Jesus is taking care of the physical, earthly needs of his own mother. He is also giving John a mother to love and care for. From this point on, he is to be Mary's son and she is to be John's mother. It is task that John accepts for the rest of Mary's life.

This speaks to me because it speaks of a mother – child relationship on several levels. Some of us grew up with mothers that we love and would want to see cared for as Jesus did with Mary. Those with nurturing, loving mothers have much to be grateful for. They are are gifts to be treasured.

These are women who carried us home from the hospital and loved us despite our 3:00 a.m. hunger pangs, homework and were there for us through the heartbreak of our first young relationship. We are grateful for moms who taught us life skills and who loved us enough to discipline us. These are mothers to be cherished.

However; not all of us are so fortunate. Some of us grew up with mothers who were absent either in presence or emotionally. During this time period it was expected that a son would care for and provide for his mother in her old age. It is interesting that we don't hear anything about John's mother mentioned in the Gospels.

We do not know if she died an early age or if she had a relationship with John at all. What we do know is that she is not mentioned as the other women who were there. This may indicate a mother who was either emotionally or physically distant from her child or one who passed away. It is a passage that gives encouragement to those who had unhealthy relationship. John's life is an example that through God you can be blessed and a blessing to others.

The relationship between John and Mary is also an adoptive relationship. Jesus called upon John to take care of Mary, to adopt her into his home. He accepted and Mary did as well. We know this because John took her into his home for the rest of her life.

The love between adopted children and parents is often as strong (and sometimes stronger) than that of biological families. This too, is a gift to be celebrated.

This passage also speaks of women who do not have their own children. By living in John's home, Mary was agreeing to nurture any children that he may have. This is no small thing.

How many times have we been influenced by women chose to nurture and care for us in the place of their own children? I know many who have taught school, led Sunday School classes and worked in advocacy centers because they care about the lives of children. Surrogate mothers like these are to be celebrated.

This passage from John also speaks to women who have suffered a loss. Indeed, this was the case for Mary after Jesus perished on the cross. Nothing can replace the loss of a child. However; we know that through Jesus we have the hope of seeing our child again in the heavenly beyond.

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