Selwyn discusses why it was logical for Jesus to choose John to look after His mother, Mary.

Nothing stands out for me in today’s study. Though, I went through an interesting exercise of tracking through Mark, Luke and Matthew when checking the reference that Salome was John’s mother.

The Further Study section was also good. John 13:34-35, are always worthwhile verses to think about: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men and women will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

In this verse, Jesus sets the standard for the well-known second commandment. (Mark 12:31a) ‘The second is this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”‘) The love we have for our neighbour must be the same type of love which Jesus demonstrated when he willing went to His death on the cross to pay the penaly for our sin.’

Any comments?

 

I don’t have any additional comments to add – as a parent, I just think of how any parent would feel watching your child die this way; and not being able to help.

I agree with Selwyn: ” … we can be certain that of all those who stayed with Jesus during His hours of agony, she was the one who suffered the most. Yet she was as brave and courageus at the end of His earthly life as she had been at the beginning.”

What are your thoughts on today’s study?

We now move on to the third cry from the cross. These verses are from John 19:26-27; ‘When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple (John) whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.’

I like what Selwyn has to say re “I find it astonishing that the first three cries uttered by our Lord on the cross show that in the midst of insufferable agony His thoughts were not of Himself but of others. His first cry revealed His concern for those who were being swept along by sin. His second cry revealed His willingness to take the hand of a penitent sinner and walk with him to heaven. And His third cry … revealed His very real concern for His mother and her future security.”

The important thing to remember is that although Jesus is God, He did not use supernatural power to block out the pain. He felt all the pain of crucifixion just as you or I would feel it. He suffered – therefore you know that you can talk to Him about your suffering and He fully understands your pain. What do you think about this?

I also like the prayer for today – but I’ve modified it a little – I don’t like the word ‘secret’ because I don’t think it’s a secret for us!

“Lord Jesus Christ, You showed concern for others even when hanging on a cross. Mould me to become more like You so that in the midst of my lesser pains I might follow Your example. For Your own dear name’s sake. Amen.”

 

Selwyn spends one more day looking at the last two words spoken by Jesus to the dying thief: ‘Today you will be with me in paradise.’ (Luke 23:43). He goes on to illustrate how we live in an imperfect world, by telling a story about ants with five legs.

The relevance is this; “Jesus  was born into a world of imperfect beings, a world where people’s lives were out of balance. The men and women of His day couldn’t stand the contrast and so they killed Him. Immediately after His death, however, He arrived in paradise – with an ex-robber. … What an amazing salvation – present, personal and perfect!”

I must admit that I was not too keen on the ant story but one point struck me – we still live in an imperfect world. That is, if Jesus was alive today, as He was nearly two thousand years ago - there would be a group of people who would want to kill Him. Some things don’t change – do you agree?

Selwyn now looks at the last two words, of the eight words Jesus said to the dying thief on the cross.: ‘Today you will be with me in paradise.’ (Luke 23:43)

He says that these two words tell us that salvation ‘is perfect and complete. … Salvation may begin in an imperfect world but it ends in a perfect one.’

We are told that ‘in Greek, the word “paradise’ is used of a park, a garden, or resting place.’

In Hebrews Chapter 4, verses 1-3,6; we read: ‘Therefore , since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who believe enter that rest, just as God has said, “So, I declared in my anger, ‘They (the disobedient Israelites in the desert) shall never enter my rest.’” … It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience.’

God rested on the seventh day, and now God calls us to enter His rest which he invites us to share. Do you agree?

Selwyn continues to study the words of Jesus to the thief on the cross: ‘Today you will be with me in paradise.’ (Luke 23:43)

He says: ‘What do these words of Jesus to the dying thief tell us about the nature of eternal salvation? They tell us, in the plainest language, that it is essentially a matter of personal relationship.’

He uses verse 20 from Chapter 2 of Galatians to illusrate the personal nature of our salvation. Verses 20-21 follow, Paul addressing the Galatians: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I did not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

It’s useful to keep in mind that when Jesus died on the cross, Paul would have been one of the people in support of the crucifixion and would have seen himself as a righteous person, under Jewish law. In the Galatian verses we can see that the old Paul has died and here, demonstrates by his words, that he has been re-born, a new creation in Christ. You can feel the personal relationship which Paul has with Jesus, when he says: ‘Christ lives in me.’

Do you agree with Selwyn, when he says: “Salvation is a personal salvation, and we must never rest content until we dare to call it ours.”?

Selwyn, now “considers another thought that emerges from the words our Lord spoke to the dying thief on Calvary: salvation is personal and intimate: ‘ … You will be with me.’ (Luke 23:43). Can there be anything more personal and intimate than that? Think what a moral gulf lay between the persons represented by the pronouns ‘you’ and ‘me’.”

The intimate and personal relationship we develop with Jesus is based on His love for us and our response to this amazing love. I like the prayer for today: “Lord Jesus, how thankful I am that Your purpose in saving me is not just to rescue me from hell but to relate to me personally. I am to be with You. How awesome! How amazing! Amen.”

The first five verses of the text, set for today’s reading and meditation, contain a lot of material to consider, (John 17:1-5, NIV); “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have bought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”

I think that all the people who have been given to Jesus have specific tasks to do – and, that we bring glory to God by completing them.  I believe the core task is to make God known. (John 17:25-26) “Righteous Father, though the world does not know You, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Consequently, there is an obligation for each one of us to seek out the work God has assigned to us – do you agree?