The Final Act of Love

The Final Act of Love
John 19:25-27
"Behold, your mother."

At the beginning of his public ministry, Christ distanced himself from his mother. This was not meant to reject her and show a lack of concern for her, but the recognition that human relationships did not constrain him. Instead, he came to fulfill the will of his heavenly father. As Jesus was hanging upon the cross, all the other disciples abandoned Jesus. Only Peter and John followed Jesus to the High Priest's house after his arrest. The rest had fled into the night. After Peter's denial, he too fades into the background. The only followers of Jesus mentioned to be present at the cross were four women (Mary and her sister, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene)  and John. While the focus has been on the crucifixion, in these final moments of Christ's life, the focus shifts to these individuals.
As we gaze upon the scene, we can only imagine the pain and anguish Mary must have felt as she watched her son in such deep agony. As Jesus' life slowly ebbed away, it must have felt like Mary's heart was being crushed. For all the disciples and even for Mary, at this point, it seemed as if everything they believed about Christ had come to a devastating end. What they anticipated to be the coronation of Christ after his triumphal entry had turned quickly to the shattered dreams of seeing Jesus arrested and condemned to death. It was not until after the resurrection that they finally understood that Jesus was far more than the Messianic King of Israel; he was the ruler of the universe, the one who triumphs over all things, even sin and death. However, at this moment, everything was dark (both literally and figurative) and foreboding, and their dreams were crushed.
Yet, in the agony of the cross, the depth of Christ's compassion and love is revealed. That the road to the cross was paved with the love of God as he sought to provide for our need for salvation and forgiveness. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son." In this final moment of his life, Christ gives a heartfelt and compassionate expression of his love to the one person most broken by his death—His mother.  
In the Jewish culture, the eldest was responsible for the mother's care and provision after her husband's death. While the Bible does not record the death of Joseph, the fact that he is not mentioned after Jesus started his public ministry suggests that he had died sometime earlier. Nevertheless, as the oldest son, he was responsible for providing for her. So, in this poignant moment, Jesus, as he is nearing the end of his life and suffering, expresses his love for his mother by providing for her needs. Because, at this point, his brothers did not believe in him, and the rest had abandoned him, Jesus turned to John. Only John remained, and only John would live to old age and die a natural death. So it was fitting that he assigns John the responsibility to care for his mother.
In this simple act, we see a visible, tangible expression of the depth of Christ's love, not only for his mother but also for all his followers. As Jesus was suffering upon the cross, his thoughts were not upon himself; his thoughts were upon those who he loved. But this love was not just for his physical mother, but all his followers. In Luke 8:19-21, Christ pointed out that all those who followed him were his mother and brothers. In this final act, we see an example of Christ's love and provision for us. Even amid his suffering, he thought not of himself but those he loves—He thought of us.    
O, the deep, deep love of Jesus
Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
-S. Trevor Francis