Marge Thompson, ‘Were You a Witness at the Cross?’
Scripture: John 19:23-30 and Matthew 11:9-10
Put yourself at the foot of the cross. The soldiers were watching the crowd to see who were the close relatives of Jesus so they could perhaps arrest them. Some people kneeled at the foot of the cross: four Roman soldiers out of duty. Mary Magdalene, who was healed by Jesus. Salome, his other’s sister and mother of James and John. Mary, the mother of Jesus and John the disciple. What does it mean to be near the cross looking up at someone who is fulfilling the prophecy? Why were these four people at the cross?
For Mary Magdalene, ‘it was a place of redemption’. Luke 8:2 Jesus had cured her of many evil spirits and demons. Mary was hopeless and helpless but Jesus set her free. Jesus delivered her from Satan. She was redeemed. But being redeemed can be costly. Jesus had to die that we might be redeemed. Read Acts 26:18. You can also set people free by giving of yourself to bring people away from Satan to the grace of God. The cross is a place of redemption.
For Salome, ‘it was a place of rebuke’. Salome had asked Jesus a very selfish, earthly and proud request, “can my two sons have places of honor in glory?” Read Matthew 20:23. She didn’t know what she was asking. She did not realize that suffering comes before reward. Are we selfish with our desires? All our pride and selfishness fades away at the cross. The cross can be a place of rebuke.
For Mary the Mother of Jesus, ‘it was a place of reward’. Mary struggled and suffered most of her life as a mother, but remained faithful to Jesus. Jesus rewarded his mother by sharing His disciple, John, to take care of her. Read John 19:26-27. Jesus knows our struggles and will reward our faithfulness. Mary was rewarded by way of the cross.
For John, ‘it was a place of responsibility’. All the other disciples fled except John. John was ‘the beloved disciple’… the one Jesus loved most. Jesus gave John the responsibility of taking care of His mother. Read John 19:26-27. Read John cared for Mary the rest of her life. Read John 19:26-27 and I John 1:9. As God sent us Jesus to die for our sins… Jesus wants us to represent Him to others here on earth. The cross is a place of responsibility.
Are we willing to drink the cup (death)? Are we willing to suffer for Jesus the way He suffered for us? Were you a witness at the cross?
THE CROSS… a place of redemption, rebuke, reward and responsibility.
We must follow Jesus and glorify Him!