WHO WALKS IN,
WHEN EVERYONE ELSE
WALKS OUT?
“The women at the cross,” they’re a varied group,
identified in our text as “…Mary Magdalene, Mary, the
mother of James the younger and of Joses and
Salmone.” (Mark 15:40)
But Mark goes on to note “…many
other women who had come up with
[Jesus] to Jerusalem were also there.”
(Mark 15:40-41) identified, at least in part, in
other gospels as: the mother of the
sons of Zebedee (Matthew 27:56) – a sister of
Jesus’ mother Mary (John19:25) -- and
Mary of Clopas (John 19:25)
“The Committed”
Live Lives of Generosity,
Going ‘The Second Mile.”
For as they traveled with
Jesus “…these women
were helping to support
[Jesus and His disciples]
out of their own means…”
(Luke 8:3). That last phrase is
striking: “…out of their own
means…” (Luke 8:3) -translated: these women
dipped into their own
personal resources to
support Jesus and His
disciples
“I wonder what folks will say at my
funeral -- will folks come up to my kids
and talk about how I “went the second
mile” for them; will they talk about my
sacrifice on their behalf?
Develop A Tender Heart,
Marked By Deep Empathy
And Compassion.
Reaching out to
Mary, Jesus
speaks tenderly:
“Dear woman,
here is your son.”
And then turning
to John -- the
only disciple at
the Cross -Jesus reflects:
“Here is your
mother… [And]
from that time on,
[John] took
[Mary] into his
home.”
(John 19:26-27).
“Don’t urge me to leave you… Where you go, I will go,
and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my
people and your God, my God. Where you die, I will
die…May the Lord deal with me…severely, if anything
but death separates you and me…” (Ruth 1:16-17).
Lift Up, Ultimately, The Love
And Loyalty Of Jesus.
• “Truly, I say to you today, you will be
with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43)
• “It is finished.” (John 19:29-30)
• “Father, into your hands I commit my
spirit.” (Luke 23:46).
• “In this world you will have trouble, but
take heart: I have overcome the
world. (John 16:33);
• “Trust in God, trust also in me. In my
Father’s House there are many
rooms…I am going to prepare a place
for you…” (John 14:1-2).
• “And [so] surely I am with you always,
to the very end of the age.” (Matthew
28:20).
• “…because of the Lord’s great love, we are not
consumed, for his compassions never fail, they
are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness
(Lamentations: 3:22-23).
• And so “…do not tremble, do not be afraid…
[for] there is a God beside [you]…there is… [a]
Rock…” [beneath you] (Isaiah 44:8).
“…because of the Lord’s great love -[you] are not consumed, for his
compassions never fail, they are new
every morning -- great is thy
faithfulness (Lamentations: 3:22-23).
And so “…do not tremble, do not be
afraid…[for] there is a God beside
[you]…there is…[a] Rock…[beneath you]”
(Isaiah 44:8)