Have you ever thought about what it must have been like to be Jesus’ mother? More than likely, she never had to spank Him because He never did anything wrong. What’s worse is as His mother, He was always right. There was probably never an argument, but if there was, mom was never right. Worse yet was being his brother and always being compared to Jesus. Jesus got all A’s in school and His brothers struggled. Homework was never work for Jesus because He wrote the book and you had to study for everything. Imagine what that must have been like.
Well today is Mother’s Day and first of all I want to wish all of you mothers a Happy Mother’s Day. Some of you might not be a mother but every one of you has a mother, so regardless, this is a day that everyone can celebrate in one way or another. I was looking in Scripture to see if I could find how Jesus might have celebrated Mother’s Day. The Bible only gives us three passages where we read of Jesus having a conversation with His mother, so I decided to see what we could glean from that.
The first passage is found in Luke 2:41-52 where Joseph, Mary, Jesus, and possibly His siblings are making the trip to Jerusalem as they did every year to celebrate the Passover. Jesus was 12 years old at the time and He more than likely was able to participate in all of the events of that celebration. It was not uncommon for the family to make that journey with other families and for the kids to intermingle with each other during the trip. The celebration was over and Joseph and Mary are making their way back home thinking that Jesus was with them. They have traveled for a day when they realize that Jesus is not with them. Can you imagine the panic? Have you been there? We have. Robbi and I after church each Sunday would take our five children and meet up with friends who had six children who were all similar in age at a restaurant and have lunch together. Often times some of our kids would ride with them and some of their kids would ride with us. One particular Sunday we were all seated at the restaurant when we realized that one of our kids was missing. Ashton, our NYC daughter, loved to visit with other kids and she also loved to play the piano and we realized that she was probably left at the church. It was not the next day, however when we returned to the church no one was there and there was a note on the door that said “We have your daughter.” Another family had taken her home with them and you can imagine the embarrassment when we pulled up to their house to get Ashton. I allowed Robbi the privilege to go to their door to ask for our daughter (Haha). It happens and it even happened to Jesus’ mom. A 12 year old missing in action.
Mary and Joseph begin to look for Jesus among friends and relatives but could not find Him. They make there way back to Jerusalem and after three days they find Him. Can you imagine the horror? There is Jesus sitting in the temple courts among the teachers listening to them and asking questions. When His parents saw Him they were astonished and Mary said to Him: “Son, why have You treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.” Imagine what they must have been feeling. Anger and relief at the same time. Then Jesus answers her with this: “Why were you searching for Me?…Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” As a mom, how would you respond to an answer like that from your 12 year-old child? Jesus tells her My Father has Me on assignment and that is what I am doing. What did Joseph think? The priority of Jesus is to be about His Father’s business in the matter of salvation. The Bible tells us that they did not understand what He was saying to them. It goes on to tell us that Jesus went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. Jesus’ mother pondered all these things in her heart and we hear nothing more of that occasion. This is the second time that we read of Mary pondering and treasuring things in her heart about her little boy. What was she thinking here? What was she thinking in Luke 2:19 after being visited by the shepherds after Jesus’ birth? We don’t know. We read nothing more about Jesus from the time He is 12 years old until His early 30’s.
The next time that we read of Jesus having a conversation with His mother is found in John 2 at the wedding feast in Cana. The wine runs out and Mary goes to Jesus and says: “They have no more wine.” Why did she go to Jesus? Why not Joseph? Why was it Mary’s concern? She turns to Jesus; Why? Could it be that she wanted Him to show Himself as God? Doubtful. Could it be that she wanted Him to do a miracle? No, because there were no miracles yet. Why then? We don’t know, but look at Jesus’ response: “Dear woman, why do you involve Me? …My time has not yet come.” WOW!!! Is that any way to talk to your mother? Why “woman” and not “Mom”? It almost sounds disrespectful. I have to believe that Jesus is beginning to make space between “mom” and “woman” because of His purpose. She birthed Him, she taught Him, but now the distance. She is His mother and He is her Son, but He is about His Father’s business. There is no inside track here for Mary. If you look back at Luke 2:47 “…My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…” you see that Mary, in her magnificat, when filled with the Spirit speaks of the baby in her womb as her Savior. The last recorded words of Mary in the Gospels is found in John 2:5 when she says to the servants: “Do whatever He tells you.” Mary must now do the same.
Our next conversation between Jesus and His mother is found in one of the most touching scenes in history. This is a one way conversation where Mary says nothing but Jesus is talking straight to her. John 19:23-27 tells us that Jesus has been crucified between two criminals and as He hangs there we read vv.25 “Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother…”. What was Mary thinking? Maybe something like it is not right that my child should die before me. Some of you have been there. Her boy is hanging on the cross after having been severely beaten and flogged with His mom and others including John standing there and He turns to His mother and says “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to John He says “Here is your mother.” Jesus is asking John to take care of His mother and not Mary to take care of John. This does not provide for a continuing role for Mary. The Roman Catholic church promotes an ongoing role for Mary but Jesus shows her as a woman in need. Once again He calls her “woman” showing that she cannot presume on her maternal position. She is a “woman” in need of a Savior.
I want to now take you to a passage where there is no conversation but it does involve Jesus and His mother. In Mark 3:31-35 we find Jesus teaching when someone sent by Jesus’ mother and brothers comes to Him and tells Him that they are waiting outside and are looking for Him. Jesus’ response could take you back when you read Him say: “Who are My mother and My brothers?” (v.33) The passage goes on to tell us that Jesus looks at those seated around Him and says: “Here are My mother and My brothers! Whoever does God’s will is My brother and sister and mother.” Jesus is saying here is my family. Everyone who does the will of My Father is My family.
If you look back to Mark 3:21 it indicates that His mother and brothers did not know who He really was. People are gathering around Jesus and His disciples so much so that they were not even able to eat. They want to protect Him and decide that they are going to take charge of Him because “He is out of His mind.” They have decided that Jesus is not right. There is something wrong with Him and they are going to intervene. Is that not what has happened to some of you? You become a Christian and you make the decision to follow Jesus and be baptized and people begin to think that you are nuts or out of your mind. You are asked questions like “Why isn’t the way you were raised good enough?” “Who do you think you are that makes you so special?” Your duty, my duty, our duty to God takes precedence over everything else! Family loyalty takes 2nd place to to your relationship to God. Think about that. Every day we say things like “there is nothing more important than family” and I know what you mean. Family is good. Most families bring joy and happiness and we tend to believe that there is nothing better. Let me ask you this: Do you belong to the family of God? Is my relationship to Jesus institutional or supernatural? Does God really take precedence? Really?
I want to leave you with a passage that might confuse you and maybe even disturb you a little bit, and that is not my intention at all. I want you to spend some time to think about what Jesus is saying here in Matthew 10:34-37 in light of all that we have already talked about. “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Jesus is serious about being about His Father’s business. We are all in need of the Savior, and that included Jesus’ mother and brothers. Their position in the family of God was more important than them being His mother and brother.
I wonder what Jesus would have thought about Mother’s Day? As much as He loved His mother, and I have no doubt that He did, His priority was His Heavenly Father’s business, and that was to point His mother to her need of the Savior.
Happy Mother’s Day! Call your momma if you can and tell her about what God has done for you.
We miss all of you and cannot wait to be together again soon!
Jerry & Robbi