THE VICTOR DECLARES PROTECTION

March 11th, 2020

John 19:25-27
A Sermon by Rev. Justin Heise for Midweek Lenten Worship

In our midweek Lenten services this year, we have Peter, James, and John. John writes more of the New
been studying the seven words (or statements) that Testament than anyone except Paul. He’s also the last
Jesus spoke from the cross. So far, we have heard Jesus of the twelve apostles to die. He matters.
say about all people of all time, “Father, forgive them You know what else? We can see, not only how
for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). We important they are in the scope of the New
have heard Jesus tell a criminal crucified next to him, Testament, but that they are important to Jesus. They
“Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). matter to him so much that, before he dies, he gives
In the coming weeks, we will hear him cry out, “It is them to each other. Mary loses her son. He cannot be
finished,” (John 19:30) and “Father, into your hands, I replaced—but who better to fulfill the roll he must
commend my spirit” (John 19:30). Tonight’s word leave behind than his best friend?
stands apart. It doesn’t fulfill any Old Testament
prophecy. Jesus does not proclaim it over the entirety What about John? Why did this matter to him? Why
of mankind. In fact, it seems like something that, if wasn’t this an added responsibility—even a burden
absent, we wouldn’t miss it. If I am honest, it’s the onefor him? Jesus entrusts him with one of the most
that I wrestle with the most. Why is it recorded for us important people in his life. Put yourself in John’s
in Scripture? How does it even apply to us? place for an instance. If the man you most admire in
life, the man you have followed for years, the man you
“25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his have learned the most from, the man you love more
mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary than any other—if he gives you as vital a job as taking
Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and care of his own mother, would you not feel honored?
the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said Wouldn’t you realize the incredible grace the Son of
to her, ‘Woman, here is your son,’ 27 and to the God and Mary’ Son was showing you? That’s what
disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this John acknowledges. Plus, he’s the only one that writes
disciple took her into his home” (John 19:25-27). these words down. He’s one of the two they affected,
We can understand why Jesus proclaims forgiveness and he records them because they mattered to him.
for the whole world. We can understand why he These words matter to us, too. I know you are not
promised paradise to a dying, yet believing criminal. Mary, the mother of God, and you are not the apostle
Those declarations have everything to do with what John. But, these words teach demonstrate Jesus’
Jesus was accomplishes on the cross. His suffering character. Is he the God of all the world who is
and dying won forgiveness and paradise for all winning victory over sin, death, and Satan? Yeah. HE
people. The context fits. So, why are these words here? IS. He is eternal. He is almighty. He is all-knowing. Yet,
As far as I can tell, they only deal with two people, in this moment we are reminded that he is not only
Mary, the mother of God, and Jesus’ disciple, John. true God. He’s true man. He’s a man whose heart
I don’t want it to seem like I am downplaying the breaks as he sees his mother suffering. He’s a man
importance of those two people. Mary is important for whose pain is intensified because he can’t stop her
self-evident reasons. God in grace chose her to bear pain—in fact, he doesn’t want to. He needs to suffer. He
the Savior of the world. Through her, Jesus fulfilled needs to die. He can’t spare her this pain.
what the Old Testament said about the virgin birth. So, he helps her. He provides for her. He won’t stop his
She raised Jesus. She provided for him growing up. death. He won’t stop his mission to save all mankind.
She matters. But, he can make sure his mother is taken care of
John was important, too. He was one of Jesus’ three physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Who better to
best friends. When Jesus undertakes something do that than John? John accepted her into his
important or goes somewhere, often he takes along household. She lived with his family. He would make
sure that she had food and a place to live. In wake of doesn’t stop there. Like he provided John to remind
the emotional pain of losing Jesus, Mary would need Mary who he was and what he had done, Jesus
someone to rely on. Mary and Joseph had other provides you with constant sources of his grace. He
children, but they are not believers in Jesus (yet). We gives us baptism to wash away our sins and give us
don’t know what they saw in their half-sibling, new life. He gives us the Lord’s Supper so that we can
condemned as a criminal and crucified, but without partake of his body and blood for forgiveness and
faith in him, how could they address the emotional salvation. He brings us into this community of
needs of Mary? John could. Plus, could those believers so that you can encourage each other. Your
unbelieving children have care for her spiritually? It’s pastors are part of this, too. Jesus has sent us to give
unlikely, but John could. He knew who Jesus was. you his means of grace.
Following the Crucifixion and Resurrection, John This word from the cross exposes the person of Jesus.
could remind Mary who Jesus was and what he had He speaks to his mother and to John. Yet, we can see
done. his desire to provide for and protect those he loves. He
Jesus cares about protecting his mother in this way. does it for those two. He does it for you, too. He
He entrusts her to a person who can take care of her provides for you physically, emotionally, and
physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Jesus cares spiritually. Tonight, we hear the victor speak
about protecting you, too. That’s why these words protection. Amen.
matter to us. In them, we see the tender heart of our
Jesus—who knows what it means to be human, who
knows what it means to suffer like us and for us, and
who wants those he loves to be protected and
supported. As he did for these two in our lesson, he
does for us. In our physical, emotional, and spiritual
needs, Jesus provides for us.
It is from the hand of God that the blessings we need
for our physical life come. He provides us with food,
with water, with places to live, and so on. We have
these needs, Jesus knows them, and he sustains us. All
you have to do is remember the last two Lenten meals
we’ve had, and you can see proof of this fact.
It is from the hand of God that the blessings we need
for our emotional life come. Sometimes, Lutherans
can get a bad rap for talking as if feelings are bad, or
as if God doesn’t care about them. That’s not true.
Your emotions are part of being human, and God
cares about them. He cares about people who are
depressed. He cares about the broken-hearted. He
cares about the lonely. The grieving. The angry. The
afraid. And he provides for us people to rely on—
those who love us. But he also gives us counselors,
psychiatrists, doctors, helpful medicine, and so on.
These things are blessings from Jesus.
It’s is from the hand of God that the blessings we need
for our spiritual life come. Jesus is earnest about
protecting your spiritual life. It’s why he was on the
cross in the first place. He dies because you need him to.
Because you are human and you cannot save yourself.
What can shield you from hell? From Satan? From the
sin inside yourself? It’s the blood of Christ shed for
you. It’s the ultimate spiritual protection, but Jesus