Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Isaiah 52:13-
In my office at St. Andrew’s hangs a piece of art that depicts Jesus at his crucifixion, with his mother weeping beside him.
It’s abstract, but I think that helps to convey the emotion of the moment better than another style of art might.
Imagine watching your own son put through so much shame, so much pain.
She was there at the beginning of his life.
She was there when his formal ministry began at a wedding in Cana.
And now she is there at his brutal and humiliating death.
Both at the wedding and on the cross, he refers to her as “woman”.
He is stating here that she is more important than being simply his mother.
She’s more than just “mom”.
She is the woman, who at a young age, took on an astoundingly difficult and inexplicable calling given by God.
In her laid the hope of the future.
She was the one through whom the coming of Christ and the fulfillment of the covenant was made possible.
The gospels tell us that Jesus had brothers and sisters, but we have this odd moment where Jesus tells the disciple John that he is now Mary’s adopted son.
It is because of Mary’s faith that the church was born and in this passage, we see Jesus make sure that Mary, and subsequently the church, are taken care of when he’s gone from this plane of existence.
It’s about so much more than just Mary the mom.
It’s no longer about Mary the virgin mother: it’s about the future and the fulfilled covenant.
There is something else interesting about this moment in the passion: Peter is not there.
In fact, this is the only time in this Gospel in which we see “The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved” separate from Peter.
It is almost always Peter, James, and John (to whom the author of the gospel of John refers as “The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved.”
In fact, none of the other disciples are seen at the cross.
Only John remained.
When the darkest time came, all of the 12 “official” disciples scattered, save one.
One stayed with the women who rallied around Mary. and say there were many women there and mention none of the 12. mentions the women and “acquaintances” but speaks nothing of the disciples.
Culturally, women would have been given more leeway when it came to mourning - because they were seen as being weaker - so they would have gotten less hassle than men at the site of the execution.
But that did not stop John from being right there with them.
He was not afraid to mourn.
He was not afraid to be thought of as weak for his connection to and his love for Jesus.
He was willing to accept whatever the soldiers would heap on him in order to stay by Jesus’ side even in his last moments.
One of the 12 betrayed Jesus.
Ten of the 12 ran and hid when things got bad.
One of the 10 that scattered even lied about knowing Jesus.
And one of the 12 stayed with the women by Jesus’ side til the very end.
Into the care of the one who stayed was given the future of the faith.
Will you be the one to stay with Jesus, even in the darkest hour?
Or will you scatter to safer places?
Are you willing to sit with John and the women at the foot of the cross this Holy Weekend as we await Jesus’ return?
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