Easter:  Healer of the brokenhearted

Gives selfless love at the cross

By babs kincaid

Jesus, healer of the brokenhearted gave selfless love to the world and significantly to His mother, Mary at the cross.  Jesus, the only begotten son of God had come to earth on a strategic mission from God. Engaged couple Mary and Joseph were chosen to raise Him from a virgin birth. The problem was Man’s sin had separated them from God. Jesus was sent to pay our debt and unite us forever with God. Jesus declared his courageous mission in his hometown synagogue:

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.” Luke 4:18-19

         When Mary received the news that “The Holy Spirit will come upon you , and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God….For with God nothing will be impossible.” Luke 1:35b, she remained ecstatic with joy despite her unpopular status with others! Check out her words:

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior, for He has regarded the lowly state of his maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.” Luke 1:46b-50

Jesus’ mother had observed Jesus life as he was worshipped, celebrated, and later mocked, betrayed and crucified. Flashback through a memory of Jesus as her cousin Elizabeth said to her: “But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my LORD should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.” Luke 1:43-44 Mary had the memory of the shepherds who came to Jesus’ manager to see a Savior and “…Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19 When Jesus was 8 days old and presented at the temple Mary had the memory of Simeon’s chilling words: “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel…(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also)…”Luke 2:34b-35a Magi from the east coming into their house to see Jesus where “they fell down and worshipped Him…they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11b was a dazzling memory. Mary had the privileged memory of being at a wedding where Jesus performed His first miracle, turning water into wine. “This was the beginning of signs Jesus did…and manifested His glory…” John 2:11a What magnificent memories!

No wonder the Bible calls Jesus “a Man of sorrows, acquainted with grief” Isaiah 53:3a  as he was falsely accused, betrayed by a kiss, crowned with thorns, scourged, and crucified to pay for our sin. According to Pastor Chuck Smith the scourging (Matthew 19:1) that Jesus received from the Roman soldiers portrayed this picture: “They would tie a prisoner to a post so the back was stretched out. And then…a leather whip with little bits of glass and lead embedded in it designed to rip the flesh,...across the back of the prisoner thirty-nine times…Before the thirty-ninth stripe was laid upon them, they were already dead from the loss of blood.” But Jesus survived that horror. In Jon Courson’s Application Commentary New Testament there is a vivid description of crucifixion: “The pain from the nails piercing Jesus’ hands would cause His pectoralis major muscles to go into spasms and his lungs to no longer operate properly. The only way one being crucified could breathe would be to straighten his legs, place his full weight on the nail driven through his feet, and stand straight…To exhale, he would bend his knees, causing the full weight of his body to hang on the nails in his hands.” Every word that Jesus spoke on the cross was out of intense suffering! 

        The same mother, Mary that stood up for Jesus when He was dedicated in the temple was the one who stood up for Him when He was being tortured on a cross. Check it out: “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother.” John 19:25a Though Jesus had a mutilated body with horrific pain, His priority was to cherish and care for His beloved mother. Consider His profound words from the cross: “When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” “Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother! And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.” John 19:26-27 Wow, Jesus extraordinary and selfless love is too beautiful to comprehend! Two hearts were comforted together who were deeply in love with Jesus! It was agonizing for Jesus to speak and yet even in his last moments He was still doing an act of lovingkindness for His mom! “Love never fails,” 1 Corinthians 13:8 Happy Resurrection Day!