Honor Your Mother!
May 10, 2026
Scripture: John 19:25-27
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice maintains a publicly accessible online record of every murderer that is put to death within Texas. You can see the mugshot of 481 persons and read about the crimes that landed them on death row. But perhaps the most interesting thing is you can also read their final words. Jon Millward combed through all the data and found the words most frequently used before being put to death. The words included: love, family, thanks, and sorry. The most popular three-word phrases were: I love you; I am sorry; and Thank you for...
Jesus Christ hung on the cross for six agonizing hours before succumbing to the torture of the crucifixion through asphyxiation. During that time, Jesus made seven statements on the cross that were recorded in the four gospels of the New Testament. The first three of them all express Jesus concerns for others. In his first word Jesus shows his concern for his enemies, Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34). With his second word he comforts the thief on the cross next to him who has come to belief in Jesus, Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43). And now in his third word from the Cross, he shows his concern for his mother. John 19:25-27 gives us the setting and then Jesus words.
Verse 25, Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
The Apostle John notes four women present at Jesus’ crucifixion. This included Jesus’ mother, Mary. I think it is no surprise to us that Mary the mother of Jesus was there when her son was unjustly being put to death. As she was standing watching her son being tortured to death, she might have recalled when the angel came to her and said in Luke 1:30, 31, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth Son and shall call his name Jesus.
Then having given birth to Jesus, I am confident she experienced immense joy! But then she might have remembered the prophetic words of Simeon as he said in Luke 2:34, 35, This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” As Jesus hung on that old, rugged cross, the prophecy of Simeon was being fulfilled! Mary was pierced in her soul!
Please note the phrase, Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother. What was Jesus doing? He was fulfilling His Father’s will!
Here is the first and most important principle in honoring your mother! Do the will and work of God! Become the man or woman of God that the Lord wants you to be!
Jesus first and foremost honored His mother by doing the will and work of God. Jesus was born with a purpose, and he fulfilled his purpose in doing the will of His Heavenly Father! He was the Lamb of God (John 1:29; 36). He knew that he was the Suffering Servant who would die a horrible death as Isaiah 53:4, 5 states, Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Dying for our sins and giving us hope beyond this world was his purpose!
Listen, the best thing you can do in this world is to fulfill the Lord’s purpose for your life. Why? Because the Lord wants you to do it. Psalm 139:13-14 states, You made my whole being; you formed me in my mother’s body. 14 I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. The Lord created you in an amazing and wonderful way! He has created you with a purpose. He gave you free will. Yet, He desires for you to receive Him, to believe in Him, to follow Him, too have Him the Lord of your life!
Matthew 12:46-50….Jesus had to correct his earthly family about the importance of God’s will. (Also note Matthew 7:21-23).
Why do His will and work? The world needs you to do His will and work. We are called to be salt and light…
Why do His will and work? Because it is the best thing for yourself! If you do His will and work, you will experience his love, his power, his presence, his joy, and peace. You will have an abundant life and eternal life.
Why do His will and work? To honor your mother. Even if your mom is/was not a believer or is/was a believer in Christ, you were created to do His will and His work! Deep down, every mother loves her child/children. Isaiah 49:15, Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! (Also note Isaiah 66:13; I Thessalonians 2:7).
Moms want the best for their children. She hopes to raise a child that is responsible, moral, and godly wisdom. Proverbs 10:1 states, Wise children make their father happy, but foolish children make their mother sad. Proverbs 17:25 states, Foolish children make their father sad and cause their mother great sorrow.
Now, she might not know how best to raise a child. She will make mistakes, but as AI states, Mothers often long for their children to be secure, confident, well-educated, resilient, and grounded in values, while also being free to explore their own paths and live fulfilling lives. These hopes are deeply personal but often reflect universal desires for love, safety, and growth.
As a Christian parent and in talking with other Christian parents, a primary desire is to have his/her child to believe and follow Jesus! They want to see their child trust and obey Jesus and be together in heaven for eternal life.
I am extremely thankful for how my mom worked in my life. She encouraged me and showed me love when I was young. She is the one who set up my first date with Kathy. When I decided to go into ministry, my dad was totally against it, but my mom was extremely supportive. She paid my college tuition. She was always there to give an encouraging/loving word. Then my mom was extremely proud of me when I graduated from seminary.
Now, you can give mom flowers for Mother’s Day. You might give her a gift and/or a card. I commend you! However, those things cannot compare to the fact that she gave birth to you for a purpose! Remember, God put you here for a purpose. The purpose of your existence is to fulfill the will and the work of God in your life.
Verse 26, When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son.”
Jesus saw his mother and his disciple, John. John is identified as the beloved disciple. So, amid anguish, Jesus turns to his mother and says, Woman, here is you son.
He has a word of affection for his mother. Why does He call her woman? One thought is that Mary’s identity and role is going to change. From this moment forward, her job as a mother to Jesus would be done. She now becomes a believer. Jesus now becomes her Savior and her Lord.
Yet, Jesus’ words show a concern and love for his mother. Jesus had not forgotten her. He gave her into the care of the beloved disciple, John.
So, Jesus fulfilled one of the most important obligations identified in the Bible -- the obligation to care for one's family. The fifth commandment is, Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you (Exodus 20:12).
The New Testament reaffirmed that obligation. The Apostle Paul states in Ephesians 6:1-3,
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Also note I Timothy 5:8).
Jesus kept the commandment to honor his parents. What does this mean for us? It means that we, too, must honor our parents. Here is principle 2. Honor, respect, look out for your mom and dad! See that they are taken care of!
Honoring parents is easy for those of you who have good relationships with them. You value your parents. You want to give back to them something of what they have given to you.
If there is an issue with a parent, then I encourage you to begin the work of reconciliation. Search your heart and see if there are any dishonoring attitudes within you. If you find such dishonoring attitudes within you, you must root them out. You have a spiritual obligation to make things right with your parents. Please take to heart that we all make mistakes. Parents can fail miserably. Yet sometimes the child must be the adult in the room. So, I encourage you to honor your parents, at least try. As Romans 12:18 states, If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
D.L. Moody stated, "I have lived over 60 years, and I have learned one thing if I have learned nothing else. No man or woman who dishonors father or mother ever prospers." (Note Proverbs 30:17).
Verse 27, and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, we read that when they took Jesus as prisoner all the disciples forsook him and fled. This included John. John was a retreating disciple, but he became a returning disciple as he stood at the cross. Then Jesus asked John to take care of Mary. Treat her like your own mother.
It's curious that Jesus didn't turn to Mary's biological children to care for her. Again, they are not recorded in being present when Jesus was being crucified. John 7:5 notes, For not even his brothers believed in him. Yet in Acts 1:14 which is after Jesus’ ascension we read, They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. I Corinthians 15:7 indicates that the resurrected Jesus appeared to James, the brother of Jesus. They came to believe because of the resurrection.
When Jesus linked his mother, Mary, to John, the Beloved Disciple, he was doing more than caring for his own family. There's a deeper reality here that we are meant to see. The deeper reality is that what Jesus did for Mary and John is what he wants to do for all of us. The cross of Christ is intended to make family of all of us.
This is what Jesus meant his church to be like. He intended that when we came to him in repentance and faith, when we stood at the cross and recognized what he was doing for us as Savior and Lord, that he would place people before us and link us with ties of care and compassion, just like family.
Here is principle 3 this morning. Let us love each other like family.
Today, I find so many children and young people who have simply have not had their love tank filled properly. As a result, so many are dealing with emotional and spiritual problems! It is in Christ that one can begin to heal and become whole. Christ has designed that church to help each other grow and mature into the character of Christ. My hope as a church we can help people overcome! (For further clarification on widows please note I Timothy 5:1-16).
Finally, I want to share a story I read that I hope will be a word of encouragement to all of us about the power of love. Kelsey was a parent’s worst nightmare. She grew up in a good and loving home. There were family outings, birthday celebrations, softball, dance classes and even church. But then when Kelsey was in high school, she started to drink, use drugs, steal, and stay out late.
The family tried to minister to her. They provided counseling, rehabilitation, tough love, tears, and prayers. But the more they reached out to her, the more abusive and rebellious she became. Finally, she ran away. She was well in her late twenties before healing and reconciliation began.
Kelsey said, “I felt unlovable. Yet, my parents never stopped loving me. Even when I got arrested and they refused to bail me out of jail, I could see the pain of love in their eyes. Now I realize how much I have needed their love; that it was their love and prayers that kept me alive all those years. But when I look back on those years what amazes me most of all is that my worst could not destroy their love for me.”
The cross was the worst the world did to Jesus. It was agonizing and painful. It was total rejection. And yet the cross did not destroy the love that was in the heart of Christ. With his last breath, he prayed for his enemies, comforted a dying thief, and cared for his mother. Three days later God raised Jesus from the dead to show that the love of God remains forever undefeated. That is the love that Jesus holds before us. It is the love that Jesus wants us to know as parents, grandparents, children, and as brothers and sisters in Christ.
