The Caring Heart

Perhaps is not a months there goes by without my hearing of somebody talking about the challenge that they're facing in taking care of their elderly parents assisted living now it has become a multibillion-dollar business in America and the West and for good reason. We do not have time in our busy Western culture to be able to care for the aged and yet in the Far East and the Middle East. This is an alien concept for them. They don't understand that.

In fact, when you talk about retirement homes ask you what that is. It is a strange thought, because for them. They feel it is not only their obligation, but is there privilege to take care of their aging parents like someone said the said children are a great comfort in our old age, and they help you reach it faster to in the last two messages we saw how the first two statements from the cross as our Lord hung on that instrument of torture between heaven and earth that he exercised his divine prerogative in the first statement he said father forgive them and their he was exercising his divine prerogative in his high priestly role as the great high priest in intercession for all the sinners in the second statement he was exercising his divine prerogative to when he received a prayer from a repentant sinner.

He was exercising his kingly role as the king of all kings receiving prayer from others.

The first two statements reveal to us our Lord Jesus's divinity is supernatural nature and in the third statement are we going to look at today. He reveals his humanity. Don't ever, ever forget that our Lord Jesus was fully man and fully God all at the same time he went to sleep in the boat.

That's his humanity. He woke up and silenced the wind and the waves that's his divinity. He wept at Lazarus to that's his humanity, and then he called out to Lazarus who was dead as a doornail and his corpse began to stink. And he said, rise up, and Lazarus rose up from the grave. That's his divinity.

The two natures of our Lord Jesus Christ is what made Jesus to be the only Savior of the world is two natures is what sets them apart from anybody else's two natures is what made him to be the only way to heaven, and there is no other way to heaven but through him. Now please, if you turn with me to John chapter 19 beginning at verse 25 near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother's Sr. Mary the wife of Columbus and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby.

He said to his mother dear woman, here is your son and to the disciple is your mother. From that time on his disciple took her into his home, a loving father as we see you caring heart throughout the Scripture and as we see the caring heart of the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that you would open eyes and ears that we will see and hear wonderful truths from your word in Jesus name, amen.

I was reflecting on this passage and I thought to myself what if the doctor said to me Michael you only have a few days to live, what would I do. How would I react.

How would I spend my time and I thought, in all candor in all honestly is much as I love you I love my ministry team I love so many of you as my dear friends the dearest friends in the world. I with all candor, would want to spend those last few moments caring for my family. Many have heard me say this before that my family is my primary congregation. If I fail to be the pastor to my wife and children. Then I am not worthy to be your pastor or anybody's past and that is what's happening here at the foot of the cross.

The scenario is so incredible in the first statement we find our Lord's attention was toward the whole world and he said father forgive them and he in the sense was forgiving everyone in the circle is expended to everyone, including those malignant hand that nailed him to the cross. While the forgiveness of the Lord Jesus is offered to all.

It is only if deserve for those who come to him and receive it, and then the next statement you find that his focus begins tomorrow from the world to one repentant sinner on the cross next to him and he forgave that man who said remember me and Jesus at today you shall be with me in paradise. Then here in the third statement you see the, the focus narrowed even further justice family. In fact, these are the last words that are spoken by our Lord before his death on the cross to anyone or about anyone and what John is trying to do here if you look of few verses before what we read, and he literally like an artist. He's painting a picture of what is happening on that Google Earth and that foot of the cross or like a cameraman who was trying to capture the essence of what's really going on, and in a few verses before that, he tells us that the soldiers were gambling over his seamless outer garment through significant and as if this as soon as he looks at the soldiers gambling over his outer garment. He immediately looks at Mary why all because he sees she made that outer garment that seamless garment.

She made it with her own hands. Now they gambling on it. When the sun is about to go into public life in the Jewish culture.

His mother lovingly shows a put together as seamless garment for his outer garment to wear. Is not a garment that is bought from a department store, but is made with loving hands to give to that son when he goes into public life and of Jesus is saying you have made this comment for me with your loving hands you'll are now seeing them gambling on that outer garment you're seeing my flesh being torn apart for the sake of the forgiveness and redemption of everyone who would come to me in a most of us to far lesser degree can identify with Mary because Mary stands here representing everyone. Every believer who had clung to the cross.

Even in times of puzzlement in times of discouragement in times of confusion. Why do I say this because there's no doubt in anyone's mind that Mary stood by the cross of Jesus brokenhearted watching him being tortured and tormented and become bereaved in her spirit bewildered and puzzled at what is happening is that why because the Old Testament prophesied that Jesus is coming is going to die on the cross. But you see, you need to put yourself in her place. You remember the message of the angel Gabriel. When Mary became supernaturally pregnant of the son of God, do you remember the message and when the message came to have the Bible said she was troubled and puzzled. She was puzzled, puzzled at having a baby when she knows that she has never been with a man, a puzzled when there was no room at the end she was puzzled when Herod the great killed all these babies she was puzzled when she and Joseph and baby Jesus had to flee into Egypt puzzled when she saw people accusing her son pure holy son falsely and were out to destroy him puzzled when they call them illegitimate and wanting to buy and and and and of the devil. Now she's puzzled and brokenhearted as she watches his flesh being torn on the cross, my beloved friends imitated something while none of us will ever be in that situation, or even understand this, but I know that if you're a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Perhaps there are times in your life when you are very puzzled at the will of God in your life you're puzzled that your circumstances puzzled as to why God had not answered your prayers puzzled at why you have experience setbacks in your health or setback in your business puzzled that would seemingly injustice and unfairness that of the things that are happening to you puzzled at the painful circumstances which you had no hand in creating. But like Mary you to clinging to the cross of Jesus, you two standing firm in obedience to the word of God. Like Mary, you are submitting to the will of God. Even though you don't understand, but are something here that I don't want you to miss you.

See what she's going through was a subject of a prophecy. In fact, is the subject of the very first prophecy that is ever taken place in the New Testament in Luke chapter 2 verses 34 and 35 when Jesus was one month old Mary and Joseph took him to the temple and their Simeon. The priest took the baby Jesus in his arms and he said to the Lord Jesus.

What about the Lord Jesus the following is this child is destined to cause the fall on the rising of many in Israel and to be spoken against, saw that the thoughts of many will be revealed and then Simeon turns and looks at Mary, who was a teenage girl with a baby and no husband yet just a man to whom Cuba proposed and he said, and the sword will pierce your soul also other translations of your heart and the sword will pierce your heart to see Michael wait a minute. One minute 10 months earlier. She is told that she is highly favored 10 months earlier.

She said all generations will call me blessed just 10 months earlier that she was told that her son will sit on the throne of his father David what's going on here. I'm sure if you and I were in her place. We would be puzzled to. I know I would be registered by the cross. She clung to the cross.

She stood there representing everyone of us who gets puzzled at the will of God puzzled when you know deep down in your heart that you are not reaping the evil that you have sown. But your suffering for the good that you have done. Mary is a symbol of everyone who says I don't understand why everyone who is living with disappointment in life that is unexplainable. She's assembled to everyone who says things did not work out the way I thought they going to workout things did not work out the way I expected them to work out everyone who feels that they are going uphill in the wind blowing in the face, that's Mary, but she clung to the cross. She stated the cross because she believed that in all things God works together for good for those whom you love to see she knew that he is working things together for her good and his glory and the resurrection was coming. My favorite hymn probably of all times, but certainly one of the top three is a him it is well with muscle while the word absolutely magnificent and touched me deeply. The furnace of affliction upstream affliction from which that him came to be.

Never ceases to amaze me. It really doesn't Horatio Spafford was a committed Christian lawyer and a businessman in Chicago and one day he placed his wife and four children on a luxury liner known as the Villa. The harbor and they promise them as they were sailing from New York that he would join them in a few weeks time as he had some business to attend to and once he finished the business. He will be on his way to join them. So they sailed from New York going to Paris with the expectation of being united again. The trip began beautifully sailing out of New York Harbor.

But on November 21, 1872. The bill the harbor was struck by another vessel called the Kern and sunk within 30 minutes. Almost all the passengers went to their watery grave. Horatio Spafford heard the news of the collision and all he could do is get on his knees and cry out to God, oh God please save my family. But what actually happened that the three of us children were swept away by the waves and while his wife was clutching her youngest the wave swept the child from her arms and Mrs. Spafford became unconscious, only to wake up later to learn that she was rescued by the sailors from the current, but all her four children have gone down to their watery grave back in Chicago. Horatio Spafford for 10 days desperately waiting to hear some news of what happened.

Finally, his rescued wife. As soon as she reached Cardiff. She sent a two word telegram saved alone that not Mr. Spafford spent the night walking around his big house, going from room to room of his children as you can only imagine in your wildest imagination literally walking around from room to room in the big house with puzzlement in his heart and puzzlement in his mind why Lord but then as God promised he began to experience the peace that did not make sense in the difficult times and so by the early hours of the morning. He said to his friend Maj. Wendell. He said I am glad to be able to trust my Lord will it cost me so dear.

He stood by the cross. The clung to the cross.

Even in puzzlement time discouraging times and as Mr. Spafford began to reflect upon this disaster at sea that deprived him of chilled. He sat down and brought the beloved him when peace like a river attained this my way and sorrows like sea bellows role. Whatever my lot you have taught me to say it is well with muscle.

Though Satan should buffet the trial should come let this blessed assurance control that Christ has regarded my helpless estate and he has shared his own blood for my soul but that's not all that is not all the Spafford turn to the Lord in this Lord. How can we serve you. How can we spend the rest of our lives serving you see beloved, listen to me for a believer of a godly man or woman, boy or girl when they face a trial in life. It can make them better. But for those who do not know the Lord. Trials can make them bitter, and they become better and they cried out to God, we want to serve you. How can we serve him. Lord directed them to Palestine. Palestine and their they built on orphans for disadvantaged children and a clinic next to it. Still there today. Mary was puzzled as she stood by the cross and if Mary is an example of those of us who stand by the cross. John the apostle, on the other hand, is an example of a believer who cannot stay away from the Lord for too long others. All of us in our Christian walk. No times of dry spell, spiritually speaking earlier on the Lord said to all of his disciples.

He said all of you as including John is all of you are going to fall away at the Academy, and Peter blesses parties represent so many of us will have a foot-and-mouth disease reacted vigorously, no way, Lord. And then there's no way this can happen to you that will have to come to me first have to go through me to get you I got your back. Lord, you know what happened. Matthew 2635 tells us that they all said that including John the Senate but by the time you get to Matthew 26, 57, you read that all the disciples deserted him and fled everyone of them including John.

All of the without exception, but then at the time of Jesus's trial. John shows up again is only one who does he see John cannot stay away from his beloved Lord he could muster away for too long and he kept coming back, but then as Caiaphas began to question Jesus about his disciples as he said and what about your disciples who are they, where are they at that moment John slips into his shadows and disappears in their Jesus stands absolutely, totally, completely unknown, but is a divine reason for that is a divine reason, the one who dies for the sin of the world must die alone.

John alone is a disciple who can back up the cross, he couldn't stay away for too long. What about you while Peter was somewhere well waiting in his sorrow, John alone come back to the cross while Thomas was somewhere covered with doubt like a blanket. John alone come back to the cross. And while Judas was out there taking his own life, John alone come to the cross journals referred to himself as a disciple who is closest to Jesus, whom Jesus loved them and someone whereas the Jesus really have favorites. Is that what it is that there are favorites to Jesus, absolutely not.

Listen carefully. The reason John was close to Jesus is because John wanted to be close to Jesus. You can be as close to Jesus as you want to be close to Jesus.

James chapter 4 verse eight said that when we draw close to him. He draws close to us. When you draw near to him. He draws near to us and John wasn't one man of the 12 who wanted to cling to Jesus does not have favorites. No, there are some who favor the close to Jesus. When you desire to be close to Jesus more than anything else in the world. Jesus will draw close to you than anything you've ever experienced many of the time something else here and I don't want you to miss it so wonderful is so incredible and I see you throughout the life of our Lord. When John came back. Jesus did not say to him. John, where were you, I was looking for you. I thought of all the disciples you will be the one that would not have been left me at that time of the trial. Where were you John no no no no, beloved, listen to me. There was not a butte there was no scolding. There was no guilt making Dennis know I told you so not with the Lord, but rather he looked at him and he gave him the highest responsibility that are dying Savior could give anyone he said, son, behold your mother beloved the truth be known, some of us have made promises to the Lord promises that were gonna walk close with him promises that he will be in intimacy with him on a regular basis. Spending time with him in time with his word. Then we got busy for success promises we got tired of them let go of the promises we got disappointed with the circumstances of life and gave up on these promises that were made to God Albert Glover listen to me listen listen listen, like John, you can come back to him today was interesting. Some commentators, of course, give the prominence in this incident to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the situation and without any disrespect to the Blessed Virgin. They forget that it's all about Jesus that were not saved because Mary stood by the cross, but we are saved because Jesus died on the cross and Jesus who kept all of the commandments. All of the time perfectly. Here he is is is drawing his last breath he was keeping the Fifth Amendment special honor that father and the mother. In other words, treat them with dignity, care for them provide for them what they need.

Obviously, Joseph Mary's husband died and now it is the role of the elder son to take care of his mother. According to that culture. So Jesus was making provision, even at the moment of his most agonizing experience. The Lord look to John and he said now John, I want you to stand as a substitute for me.

John, I want you to stand in my place. John, I want you to speak for me there is a word from the Lord for every one of us. The Lord is saying calling you by name saying I need you John, I need you Bill need you Sue I need you Jen I need you I need you to stand by my church. I needed to stand by my work. I need you to stand by my gospel. I need you to stand by my kingdom.

I need you to stand by my ministry. I need you to stand by me.

I need your mind. I need your devotion. I need your voice I need your hands I need your money. I need your time.

I need you. Would you say here I am Lord, would you say I will my Lord will use ready Lord I pray to God is not just a message. Did you go out and immediately vibrate out of your mind in the next 30 minutes with a goblin printed at the very cortex of your mind and depth of your heart, but there may be someone here today who would say I haven't really taken the first step, yet I have never committed my life to Jesus Christ or of never came in repentance and in faith in and receive him as my Savior and Lord. What you can do that today. You can do that as we pray father you know where each one is and what stages we ran what level of faith we have nothing as a surprise to you, and so as we come to you today, for those who are coming to you for the first time in the name of Jesus, let them hear that voice, you are forgiven. And today you shall be with me in paradise for those who have been away from you father are prior just like John placed them in the place of responsibility.

Whatever you call, you have an ally father I want to be want to say here I am Lord I'm ready for that I thank you that you are the God not only of the second chances in a million chance and we rejoice in who you are today. In Jesus name. Thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael. You sat recently featured on leading the way. If you'd like to know more about us, please visit LTW.org@LTW.Ward