Providence

Social distancing, COVID-19, cover your mouth, face mask, death toll, pandemic.

All these words are swirling around us like a swarm of gnats, thick and jarring. In times of mandatory isolation such as this, our heart can feel heavy. But, Jesus knows, and we know that we need one another. He has designed us for togetherness; we crave family, friendship, and belonging. Even while hanging on the cross, Jesus saw with His own eyes humanity’s need for closeness.

As his final breaths began to be drawn, Jesus looked down to behold the disciples that had gathered at His feet. Among them were His mother, His aunt Mary, Mary Magdalene, and John, the disciple whom He loved. He beheld his grieving mother with His own eyes; He saw Mary. Because Jesus’s father, Joseph, wasn’t there, and because He hung helpless on a cross, Jesus realized He could not care for His mother. He saw from the cross His mother’s need for belonging, for closeness, and for care. So, turning to John, Jesus said, “Woman, behold your son.” This was a charge to John to take care of His mother in her time of great suffering and need.

“Instead of looking at His own needs, Jesus looked externally at the needs of others.” – Brian Frost

While on the cross, Jesus was looking to the needs of others rather than His own, and, not only did He see these needs, but He met them right then and there. This was not a one-time occurrence; no, this is what Jesus does for us. Through God’s gift of the Church, Jesus meets the need of His people for belonging. Loneliness doesn’t exist with His Kingdom; it is ever-growing and never decreasing.

Knowing all of this, we are called to be like John. We are called to care for our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are called to combat loneliness and neglect. We are called to bring encouragement, prayer, hot meals, phone calls, babysitting, coffee meetings, exhortations, accountability, to their doorsteps. Like Jesus, we are called to see the needs of others and strive to meet them.

SERMON NOTES 

  1. Jesus sees the need of His people. (John 19:26) 

    1. Luke 2:34-25 — Mary knew Her son would be killed, but nothing compared to actually seeing it and standing helpless. 

    2. Psalm 33:13 — Jesus sees His people! 

  2. Jesus meets the need of His people. (John 19:26-27) 

  3. Jesus meets the need of His people through His people. (John 19:26-27) 

    1. Acts 20:28 — On the cross, Jesus paid for sin and created the Church. 

    2. Luke 11:28 — We are a blessed bloodline through Christ. 

    3. Mark 10:29 — In the Kingdom, we receive the greatest riches of our family. 

 

INTROSPECTIVE QUESTIONS

  • Have you trusted Christ and found life in Him?

  • Are you trusting in Christ and connecting to His family, the Church? 

  • Are you following Christ and sharing His love for others?

  • How can we combat loneliness and neglect during this time of forced isolation? How can we practically foster belonging amongst the body of Christ? 

 

CLOSING THOUGHTS

COVID-19 doesn’t surprise God. Pandemics don’t shake Him. He sees our fear and anxiety and doesn’t just dismiss them. He cares for His people; He wouldn’t have gone to the cross if He didn’t. Jesus sees us, and He knows we need to belong. During this time of forced isolation, let’s be a people committed to calling, committed to praying, committed to Facetiming, committed to texting one another, committed to the scriptures, committed to sending hot meals. In all of this, we can find rest in the promise that this too shall pass, and that on the other side, Christ will still be on the throne. 

 

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