WEBVTT 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:06.639 Hey, I'm Pastor Steve Hole. 00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:11.119 I want to empower you today to walk in your true identity as a worshiper and warrior. 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:14.400 Embrace the power of God's Word and the Holy Spirit. 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:17.920 Today, be encouraged with a word from my guest speaker. 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:21.280 Welcome to the Born for War podcast. 00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:39.920 I want to open today with a quick toast that Mark Twain got to offer on January 13th in 1868, almost a full 50 years before we had Mother's Day as a national holiday. 00:00:40.079 --> 00:00:44.000 It's customary to give toasts at some of these bigger banquets, and Mr. 00:00:44.079 --> 00:00:48.399 Twain was asked to give this particular toast on the evening. 00:00:48.560 --> 00:00:58.399 And I've um edited this a little bit because he can be a little arnery, but I think I've cultivated some of the nuggets of what his heart was trying to express towards the gender. 00:00:58.560 --> 00:01:01.840 So uh bear with me, and I hope that you enjoy this reading from Mr. 00:01:01.920 --> 00:01:03.200 Twain and his musings. 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:03.759 Mr. 00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:09.280 President, I do not know why I should have been singled out to receive the greatest distinction of the evening. 00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:15.280 For so the office of replying to the toast to woman has been regarded in every age. 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:23.439 I do not know why I have received this distinction, unless it be that I am a trifle less homely than the other members of the club. 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:26.239 But be that as it may, Mr. 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:37.760 President, I am proud of the position, and you could not have chosen anyone who would have accepted it more gladly or labored with a heartier good will to do the subject justice than I. 00:01:38.159 --> 00:01:42.480 Human intelligence cannot estimate what we owe to woman, sir. 00:01:42.719 --> 00:01:54.719 She sews our buttons, she mends our clothes, she ropes us in at church fairs, she confides in us, she gives us good advice, she soothes our aching brow, she bears our children. 00:01:54.879 --> 00:02:04.400 In all the relations of life, sir, it is but just and a graceful tribute to woman to say of her that she is exceptionally resilient. 00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:11.439 Wheresoever you place woman, sir, in whatever position or estate, she is an ornament to that place. 00:02:11.599 --> 00:02:14.479 She occupies and is a treasure to the world. 00:02:15.039 --> 00:02:18.240 What, sir, would the people of this earth be without woman? 00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:20.960 Well, sir, they would be scarce. 00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:31.680 Then let us cherish her, let us protect her, let us give her our support and encouragement, our sympathies, our courage, and our strength. 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:32.240 Mr. 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:41.439 President, woman is lovable, gracious, kind of heart, beautiful, worthy of all respect, of all esteem, of all deference. 00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:54.000 Not any here will refuse to drink to her health right cordially, for each and every one of us has personally known and loved and honored the very best of them all, his or her own mother. 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:55.919 So we thank you, Mr. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:56.719 Twain. 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:01.439 I want to give you a few quotes from mom, the desk of mom. 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:06.159 And uh we've had a couple good belly laughs in our home over some of these, and they ring true. 00:03:06.240 --> 00:03:08.159 So I hope you enjoy them as well. 00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:11.680 Silence is golden, unless you have kids. 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:14.560 Then silence is suspicious. 00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:22.080 A mother is she who can take the place of all others, but whose place no one else can take. 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:26.560 Nothing is really lost until your mom can't find it. 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:33.680 If you want breakfast in bed, sleep in the kitchen. 00:03:35.520 --> 00:03:37.680 From a mom to her daughters. 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:43.039 Be a girl with a mind, a woman with attitude, and a lady with class. 00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:46.800 Good moms let you lick the beaters. 00:03:47.199 --> 00:03:49.199 Great moms turn them off first. 00:03:53.199 --> 00:03:55.039 Regarding your birth. 00:03:55.280 --> 00:04:00.719 I find it strange that we celebrate you on the day that your mom did all the work. 00:04:02.479 --> 00:04:05.520 We give our children two things as mothers. 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:08.639 One is roots and the other is wings. 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:16.639 All these moms on Pinterest making their soaps and reindeer-shaped treats, and I'm all like, I took a shower and kept the kids alive. 00:04:17.839 --> 00:04:18.480 Amen. 00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:24.639 Lastly, our personal favorite, and we have chuckles about this too, because this has been a true thing in our house. 00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:30.160 You know your life has changed when going to the grocery store alone seems like a vacation. 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:32.720 Facts. 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:33.360 Okay. 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:39.040 I want to open here with Genesis 1.27, but first let us pray. 00:04:39.199 --> 00:04:40.800 Heavenly Father, God, we thank you. 00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:52.240 We give you glory for this day that we pay tribute, God, to the glory of your creation, to the completion of your creation, and what your capstone was and what was needed in the garden that day. 00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:58.480 God, I pray that every woman in the sound of my voice would be honored by your words, Father, in your good book. 00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:01.600 God, I pray you would bless the hearing and reading of your word today. 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:03.839 And in Jesus' name, amen. 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:04.959 Amen. 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:09.839 Okay, so in Genesis 1.7, familiar verse, we're going to revisit this quickly. 00:05:10.079 --> 00:05:12.639 So God created human beings in his own image. 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:17.360 In the image of God, he created the male and female, he created them. 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:24.000 The complete picture of God is found through the lens of combining both man and woman. 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:28.000 Their natures together paint a whole view of God's nature. 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:35.439 Eve completed the perfection of God's creation and humanity, perfectly complementing Adam in every way. 00:05:36.560 --> 00:05:49.120 When thinking through the message today, I was kind of thinking I was going to go in the Old Testament, the great women, the great stories, the legacy that's been handed down through Deborah, Esther, Ruth. 00:05:49.439 --> 00:05:53.920 One couldn't go wrong on Mother's Day, talking about the Mary, mother of Jesus. 00:05:54.800 --> 00:06:10.800 Even pausing for a moment to consider Sarah, Rebekah, even Moses' mother, through which the line of God's people, the tribes of Israel, would be preserved and expanded and grown through these amazing women. 00:06:11.040 --> 00:06:15.279 And I thought I was going to talk about Isaac and his relationship to Sarah. 00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:21.519 And we know in the story where Rebekah comes along as a new bride, just as Isaac has lost his mother. 00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:23.680 And he's lamenting, he's in grief. 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:30.959 And Rebecca gives him great comfort from his mother, Sarah, who was most doubtedly Isaac was the apple of her eye. 00:06:31.279 --> 00:06:35.120 Giving birth at a time and a season in her life where she didn't think it was still possible, right? 00:06:35.199 --> 00:06:44.480 There's this funny, Sarah had a sense of humor, and I dig that because there's many aspects of her personality and the strength and the courage and the tenacity. 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:47.600 And you carry all that inside of your DNA, women. 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:48.879 And it's awesome. 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:58.959 And so we see those reflections, the fortitude that Deborah had, Esther bringing freedom to her people through humility and obedience. 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:10.160 Ruth, a Moabite woman where Jesus' lineage is preserved in the most unlikely of ways, out of the traditional way of marriage and what was happening in the Jewish culture at the time. 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:18.319 God's painting a beautiful picture of femininity, strength, character, and fortitude in his scripture and his text. 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:35.199 But what hit me last week, and I thought that's where I was headed, but I'm in worship, and God, like through an arrow through my heart with the Holy Spirit in my mind, crystallized this vision of where he wanted me to take today's message, and that's with the New Testament with two specific women and their worship to his son. 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:44.720 And it was powerful because he unlocks something in my own understanding in a greater and deeper way that I just, he's like, You've got to share this on Mother's Day. 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:52.399 And so with that, I want to look at a few passages where pure worship was given to Jesus by women in the Bible in a very unique and powerful way. 00:07:52.800 --> 00:08:00.639 See, women offer something in their worship to God that is so precious, it's powerful, it's beautiful, it's valued and needed. 00:08:00.879 --> 00:08:05.279 What they bring with their hearts to the Father unlocks the throne room of heaven. 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:08.639 Men, we can learn a little from our women in this area. 00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:31.120 My wife is a musician and she's skilled and she has a heart for worship, and her spirit is so connected to the spirit that when we press into that, our home, we come into unity, and she ushers in through her worship and her obedience and her giftings to bring down the presence of God and the kingdom comes in our home in very special ways. 00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:38.240 And we've been so blessed and anointed by her obedience and the beauty of her worship and calling us into that place. 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:46.639 So when we look deeper into the text of these two women that I want to highlight, their ministry to Jesus is unique. 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:47.919 And we're gonna get in there now. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:53.200 The first story comes out of Luke 7, verses 36 through 50. 00:08:53.440 --> 00:08:57.759 The sinful woman who interrupts a dinner at the home of Simon the Pharisee. 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:01.120 Jesus is invited to a dinner. 00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:08.559 I'm gonna paraphrase this for just lack of time, and I want to kind of get into the second story and spend a little more time in there. 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:11.279 But in this case, the sinful woman shows up. 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:14.720 She's alluded to as she's probably a prostitute of the time. 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:18.080 She comes in and finds Jesus at the table. 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:24.960 When a certain moral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:26.559 Similarity one. 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:29.440 Then she knelt behind him at his feet. 00:09:29.679 --> 00:09:30.240 Humility. 00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:32.480 She doesn't present herself in front of Jesus. 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:36.879 She starts her ministry out of deep reverence and humility from behind him. 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:38.399 He can't even see her. 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:41.919 Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. 00:09:42.080 --> 00:09:46.399 Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:48.480 Point number two, similarity number two. 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:48.960 Hold that. 00:09:49.039 --> 00:09:50.080 We're going to come back to hair. 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:51.200 That's pretty key here. 00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:57.360 Then she kept kissing his feet, point number three, and putting perfume on them. 00:09:58.000 --> 00:09:59.840 The Pharisees saw this. 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:04.080 He knew who she was in the community, thinking that Jesus was unaware. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:05.679 He starts to have this mental thing. 00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:07.759 And then Jesus reads his mental mail. 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:09.120 There's not a dialogue yet. 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:13.039 Simon's judging Jesus for his response and acceptance of this woman. 00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:15.679 And then he reaches out and says, Simon. 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:18.080 Then Jesus answered his thoughts. 00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:21.279 Simon, he said to the Pharisee, I have something to say to you. 00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:23.600 Simon said, Go ahead, teacher. 00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:25.759 Then Jesus told him a story. 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:30.399 He's talking about a man who owed 500 pieces of silver and a man who owned 50. 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:31.840 Both are forgiven their debts. 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:35.440 The question is, who do you suppose loved him more after that? 00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:38.799 And Simon said, I suppose the one who canceled the larger debt. 00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:39.919 Jesus said, You're correct. 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:40.720 Absolutely. 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:42.320 Now this is critical. 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:43.519 Don't miss this. 00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:48.159 And this is where the ministry of Jesus starts to take place to this woman's worship. 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:53.279 He turns and looks at the woman simultaneously right here in the scripture. 00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:54.559 44. 00:10:54.720 --> 00:11:10.320 Then Jesus turned to the woman and said to Simon, He's visually acknowledging this woman's ministry to him, and he's rebuking Simon, giving him the shoulder, giving him the same cold shoulder that Jesus received when he came in and wasn't treated with the common courtesies of the day. 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:22.720 So he's like, fine, I'm going to show you a little rebuke as well and show you kind of what it feels like. 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:33.519 And so he's acknowledging this sinful woman who I'm sure Simon, to have this woman in his in his house at his table, guy was probably coming unglued inside. 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:36.000 Probably want to turn the tables over and everybody get out. 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:36.559 I don't know. 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:38.240 He's definitely uncomfortable. 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:41.600 Then Jesus said, Look at this woman kneeling here. 00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:45.679 When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet. 00:11:45.919 --> 00:11:49.440 She has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:55.120 You didn't greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 00:11:55.279 --> 00:12:01.200 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. 00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:05.200 I tell you, her sins, and they are many, have been forgiven. 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:11.200 So she has shown me much love, but a person who has who has forgiven little shows only little love. 00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:14.799 Then Jesus said to the woman, Your sins are forgiven. 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:18.559 Her worship to Jesus was filled with both faith and repentance. 00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:22.639 She washes his feet with her tears of great remorse and repentance. 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:32.720 The feet that weren't clean, that had been traveling through the streets with animal debris and all kinds of stuff, I'm sure nasty, open-toed sandals, things are pretty funky. 00:12:33.039 --> 00:12:37.360 And she's washing them and kissing them with her tears and her hair. 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:41.519 She offers perfume and affection, kissing his feet. 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:46.399 And Jesus restores her soul, forgives her many sins with a new identity. 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:49.840 He turns his gaze to her as he talks to Simon. 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:54.080 He acknowledges her worship in front of the local religious crew in the room. 00:12:54.480 --> 00:13:01.600 Jesus admonishes his host for neglecting the most basic courtesies of the day water to wash and oil to anoint a dinner guest. 00:13:01.840 --> 00:13:08.320 She ministers to Jesus and restores him to the stature of an honored guest at the table of his host. 00:13:08.720 --> 00:13:15.039 Jesus releases her into the peace of his kingdom and salvation from her sins. 00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:17.279 That's what he says at the very end. 00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:22.799 After the Pharisees are all grumbling at the table, who's this guy that can like release sins and forgive sins? 00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:25.360 Still not getting who Jesus is in that moment. 00:13:25.519 --> 00:13:29.120 Jesus says to the woman, Your faith has saved you, go in peace. 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:33.360 She is restored publicly by the grace of the Father through his Son. 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:39.279 Because he who the Son sets free, or she who the Son sets free, is free indeed. 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:41.519 This is whole Jesus' whole ministry. 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:45.519 And she acknowledges him publicly, so he redeems her publicly. 00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:54.000 Because in the gospel we see Jesus say, Who acknowledges me in front of men, I will also acknowledge you in front of my Father on that great day. 00:13:54.080 --> 00:14:13.120 And so, church, when we're all up there as a heavenly host of saints, worshiping, every knee bowing, every tongue confessing who Jesus Christ is, the Father is going to acknowledge this woman, this great sinful woman with a resume, who with deep repentance, love, and worship upon Jesus, she'll be presented as somebody who got it. 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:15.039 This is my beloved daughter. 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:16.480 This is my beloved son. 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:17.600 These are the words. 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:21.519 This is the words that are offered when we take our hearts to the cross. 00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:22.480 She got it. 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:27.919 She understood that the temple didn't house the presence of God anymore. 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:36.559 Jesus walked among her as the Messiah, and she went into a Pharisee's house, risking great rebuke and tribulation. 00:14:36.720 --> 00:14:38.720 And she went in there bravely, anyways. 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:44.879 The perfect worship, in my opinion, was modeled by a woman, Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus. 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:47.919 The familiar account we will recall from the Gospel of John. 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:50.159 I'm going to take this right out of verse 12. 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:52.080 This is verses 1 through 8. 00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:58.960 As we frame this up, the previous chapter, Jesus had showed up on the scene, had raised Lazarus from the dead. 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:04.080 The most wanted sign for the Pharisees in the time right at this point. 00:15:04.240 --> 00:15:06.000 Jesus just rose to number one. 00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:08.799 Lazarus is now on their hit list as number two. 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:15.679 Because of that miracle, many people were turning away from the teachings of the Pharisees, and they were going to temple. 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:19.600 Now they were seeking out the ministry and the gospel of Jesus and seeking his kingdom. 00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:21.679 And the Pharisees had had enough of that. 00:15:21.840 --> 00:15:27.200 And they were like, okay, this dude is like public enemy number one, and Lazarus is right behind him. 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:31.919 So coming off the heels of that ministry, six days before Passover. 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:35.360 So most likely Saturday night, they're having their meal. 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:41.200 Jesus is about to enter into Jerusalem the next day, riding on a donkey. 00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:48.720 Here's the scene before that happens, before the whole of Jerusalem comes out to worship him with palm branches, Hosanna, Hosanna. 00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:56.080 Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus, the man he had raised from the dead. 00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:58.399 A dinner was prepared in Jesus' honor. 00:15:58.559 --> 00:15:59.759 Martha served. 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:01.519 She's in familiar space. 00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:04.399 And Lazarus was among those who ate with him. 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:12.399 However, then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from the essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus' feet with it. 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:16.559 Wiping his feet with her hair, the house was filled with the fragrance. 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:23.360 But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, That perfume was worth a year's wages. 00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:26.000 It should have been sold and the money given to the poor. 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:34.240 Not that he cared for the poor, for Judas was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples' money bag, he often stole some for himself. 00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:39.600 Jesus replied to Judas in that moment, Leave her alone. 00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:42.240 She did this in preparation for my burial. 00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:46.480 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:48.320 I want to show you this picture. 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:50.399 This was painted at the worship conference. 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:52.000 Most of the paintings sold. 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:56.639 When God downloaded my message to me last week, I remember seeing this at the worship conference. 00:16:56.720 --> 00:17:01.679 This was painted by Chris Story, one of the worship student worship academy students. 00:17:02.320 --> 00:17:10.160 And it blessed me so much that I was like, I went up to Chris during the graduation last week and I said, Is that I didn't know she painted it. 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:11.440 I said, Do you remember this picture? 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:15.759 Not knowing if it was still available, and I was going to commission her to do something because she does great work. 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:18.079 And almost everything else had sold. 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:22.400 And she goes, Oh, yeah, that one was mine, and it actually didn't sell. 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:24.000 I'm like, I'm buying that. 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:25.440 I want it for Mother's Day. 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:30.799 Because just moments before, God had crystallized this message in my mind, and I remembered this painting. 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:47.680 And here's a picture of a broken alabaster jar, a year's worth of salary, of income, probably the greatest treasure she owned, and she's pouring it over Jesus, anointing him, preparing him for burial, and wiping him with her feet, with her hair. 00:17:48.160 --> 00:17:54.000 Mary models the purest worship to Jesus days before his destiny with the cross. 00:17:54.480 --> 00:18:00.400 She initiates by worship and anointing Jesus into the next phase of his ministry to humanity. 00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:07.839 She understands, probably greater than most in that moment, even probably greater than his disciples, the timeline, the countdown to Jesus' destiny. 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:09.279 She gets it. 00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:11.599 She's in the room and she doesn't care. 00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:17.119 She brings her full worship in every aspect, and we're going to look at all of what she does here. 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:23.759 There's not a lot of verses, but if you stop and you pause, we're going to excavate all the things that are happening in this moment. 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:28.640 Mary offers great and costly sacrifice in her worship. 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:31.599 And then she takes her hair. 00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:35.839 And there's something really fascinating here. 00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:42.240 It was highly unusual and out of regular practice for Jewish women of the time to take down their hair in a public setting. 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:47.440 It was of value, it was of their identity, it was sacred. 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:58.960 And yet now we have the second time in Jesus' ministry where women are washing and worshiping him at his feet with their hair. 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:00.559 Hair is important in my home. 00:19:00.640 --> 00:19:02.240 I grew up with two older sisters. 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:08.799 I'm not unfamiliar with countertops and bathrooms being full of product and care, right? 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:14.319 I could probably tell you more than you want to know about feminine care hygiene beauty because of that. 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:20.880 Thread counts, those are things that, thank God, for my Navy SEAL grandfather, because he helped balance some of that in my life. 00:19:21.039 --> 00:19:21.920 But it was good. 00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:25.680 But now I have a daughter who introduced me to some new things I didn't even know existed. 00:19:25.759 --> 00:19:28.319 Like I'm like familiar with face masks and all that. 00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:32.319 And then this year, from some birthdays, a hair mask was given. 00:19:32.400 --> 00:19:34.240 I'm like, what is a hair mask? 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:35.599 It sounds fantastic. 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:38.240 I don't have enough follicles to justify a mask. 00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:39.759 Give me a new ball cap. 00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:40.319 Let's cover this. 00:19:40.400 --> 00:19:41.759 It's gonna get sunburned. 00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:46.960 But their hair, my daughter takes great care of her hair, both my daughters. 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:48.880 Uh, and they both have different kinds of hair. 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:50.559 One's straight, one's really curly. 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:54.960 And my wife is inviting them into their identity and beauty through that. 00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:57.039 They keep a regular appointment to cultivate that. 00:19:57.119 --> 00:20:03.119 And I want to share this because I didn't quite understand the deep DNA connection here. 00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:09.279 But this comes out of Brain in Life podcast from American Academy of Neurology, from neurologist Dr. 00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:12.079 Rohenina Hoffman's book, Hair Stories. 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:13.680 She's writing this to women. 00:20:13.839 --> 00:20:25.039 It's a coffee table book, and she says this after interviewing many women on the subject: hair is a language, a shield, and a trophy. 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:31.759 Hair is a construct reflecting our identity, history, femininity, personality. 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:38.720 It talks about our innermost feelings of self-doubt, aging, and vanity, as well as our self-esteem. 00:20:39.119 --> 00:20:42.880 Hair also has a deep has deep sociological roots. 00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:46.880 It can be indicative of certain religious or political belief system. 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:52.799 And like its genetic code, it is complicated and touches our very core. 00:20:54.079 --> 00:21:01.599 Mary in this moment offers her beauty, her hair, her trophy, and identity in worship. 00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:09.200 The most core thing about her, she uses as a lavish gift to her king. 00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:14.480 She's in total obedience to her spirit to worship the Son of Man in this way. 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:20.880 Mary offers her deepest humility, love, and affection, her whole heart in this worship. 00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:26.240 Mary's worship is of the most utmost personal nature. 00:21:26.480 --> 00:21:32.079 Her connection to her Savior's life and coming death is so very personal, she gets it. 00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:39.039 She understands what's coming ahead in the days ahead for Jesus, and she offers him pure ministry. 00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:54.559 Mary understood that the presence of God was no longer dwelling in the temple, but walking among them as a man in the flesh, offering himself, offering his kingdom, offering his healing, his miracles. 00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:58.640 She just raised her brother from the dead just like days before, church. 00:21:58.880 --> 00:21:59.759 She understands that. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:01.920 The Son of God sitting in front of her. 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:09.359 She understood that they were hosting the presence of God in that home, and she gave her best worship with that revelation. 00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:19.920 Mary received this revelation from Jesus the first visit back in Luke 10, if you recall, there's a sweet little story that's happening here. 00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:24.880 Jesus shows up on the scene to have dinner with Lazarus, her and her sister Mary. 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:27.200 And Martha comes up out of the scene. 00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:30.240 Martha, but Martha was distracted by the big dinner. 00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:31.279 She was preparing. 00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:37.920 She came to Jesus and said, Lord, doesn't it seem unfair to you that my sister sits here while I do all the work? 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:39.839 Tell her to come and help me. 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:46.400 But the Lord said to her, My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details. 00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:50.000 And there is only one thing worth being concerned about. 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:53.519 Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken from her. 00:22:54.079 --> 00:22:56.960 Now you would have thought that that would have connected somewhere. 00:22:57.599 --> 00:23:01.440 But as we just picked up in John 12, Martha's serving again. 00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:02.559 And where's Mary? 00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:04.720 At the foot of Jesus again. 00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:13.839 Because from the moment that he walked into her world, she understood and knew this man was the Son of God, the Messiah, and he was bringing healing and revelation into the world. 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:18.000 Let's go a little bit deeper into what Mary is modeling. 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:22.160 And when Jesus connected this for me, I was just blown away. 00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:23.599 It was just, it was powerful. 00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:27.359 Mary's modeling what to do with the treasure and talent God's given her. 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:30.799 She's being faithful by investing her talent back into the kingdom. 00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:38.559 Hello, there's a parable out there that she probably heard Jesus, she might have been in the crowd that day, talking about the guy who got one talent, two, and five. 00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:44.720 Well, we know one guy buries it and then he's cast out in utter darkness because he's not a good steward of that talent of the treasure. 00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:52.640 She takes all the treasure of her life and buries it at the foot of Jesus, investing it into the kingdom, into the king. 00:23:53.359 --> 00:24:00.000 She's preparing her Messiah with a lavish gift of burial preparation truly worthy of a king. 00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:10.319 Looking into the Gospel of Matthew for another record of the same account, we have to notice how Jesus immortalizes Mary's actions in the annals of our history. 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:18.559 Matthew 26, 13, he's saying in that same moment, assuredly, he's talking to the audience that's present at that dinner. 00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:27.359 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her. 00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:35.039 Jesus has now connected her to the story of his life, the gospel of his life, his death, his resurrection that's soon to come. 00:24:35.119 --> 00:24:39.839 But he's talking about the miracles that he's performed, walking earth as the Son of God. 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:47.759 And he said, wherever I'm talked about, you will remember this woman's journey, this woman's story, this woman's ministry and worship to me as well. 00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:54.559 Jesus connects the legacy of his gospel, the story of his life and sacrifice to her and her worship in this moment. 00:24:54.720 --> 00:25:00.480 She will be remembered for all time, connected to her ministry to Christ and his ministry to us. 00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:04.640 And what else is unlocked here? 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:10.720 You see the beauty of the Beatitudes, Matthew 5, 6. 00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:17.119 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. 00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:26.720 There's not a greater picture in the New Testament in my mind, maybe other than Zacchaeus, who's hungering and thirsting for righteousness. 00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:36.480 She empties out her most valuable possession so that she can be filled with his kingdom, his presence, his love, his grace. 00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:39.200 And she is filled. 00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:44.000 Jesus instantly refills her sacrifice and treasure with an eternal blessing. 00:25:44.160 --> 00:25:46.640 She is filled by him with righteousness. 00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:48.960 Such a beautiful moment. 00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:53.200 And Jesus is honoring his promise from that Beatitude teaching. 00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:56.720 Mary is living out that message in that very moment. 00:25:57.200 --> 00:26:01.359 Do we hunger and thirst for his righteousness in this kind of way? 00:26:02.640 --> 00:26:05.039 What kind of worship are we bringing? 00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:12.960 Through the beauty of his gospel, we see these women bringing such a beautiful expression of complete and utter devotion. 00:26:13.599 --> 00:26:23.119 Pushing past their own humility, their own perspective, their own fear of man, they bring worship to God in such a pure form that it cannot go unrecognized. 00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:36.000 This kind of worship transcends whether you're a man or a woman today, it's an example about what kind of heart we bring to the Father, the King of Kings, who would go. 00:26:36.079 --> 00:26:47.680 And what's interesting to me is that if it wasn't for the horrific splendor of the cross, the terror that's locked up inside of Calvary, Mary's worship in that moment would have seemed opulent. 00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:50.880 It would have seemed out of control, it would have seen over the top. 00:26:51.599 --> 00:26:55.920 They didn't understand the foreshadowing that was coming, but she got it. 00:26:56.240 --> 00:26:59.839 She's like, I want to bring, I want to bring a gift worthy of a king. 00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:03.359 Do we bring worship worthy of a king? 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:04.559 Church. 00:27:16.079 --> 00:27:29.440 To put it in relationship, because I understand men may not understand the hair analogy here, but what Mary offered and what the sinful woman offered Jesus is comparable to us where we find our identity, maybe in our physical status. 00:27:29.599 --> 00:27:30.319 Are we courageous? 00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:31.200 Do we have strength? 00:27:31.359 --> 00:27:32.960 What's our physical body look like? 00:27:33.119 --> 00:27:34.240 Can we endure? 00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:38.960 Are we bringing all that to God in a sacrificial humble way? 00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:41.519 Or do we stand in that identity? 00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:43.599 Hold it for ourselves. 00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:44.720 We hold back. 00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:46.720 God wants it all. 00:27:47.119 --> 00:27:51.920 And the blessing and the richness that comes from that kind of sacrifice is eternal. 00:27:53.440 --> 00:27:59.519 Church, I want to say when I stand before the Father, that I recognize Jesus Christ in front of man. 00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:03.680 So that he can say, Dad, that's my son. 00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:04.799 That's our son. 00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:07.680 He loved us. 00:28:08.640 --> 00:28:10.400 He praised us with everything in him. 00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:17.359 So whatever worship is in your heart and in your mouth and in your breath, I pray that you would release it today. 00:28:18.720 --> 00:28:22.000 And I just want to close this message with this to you right now. 00:28:22.160 --> 00:28:30.240 Today, whether your relationship with your mom is cherished or complicated, give thanks to God for her and her life. 00:28:30.880 --> 00:28:37.279 It is because of her you have life, and your life has created beautiful moments for you and others around you. 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:40.880 Maybe you have had the opportunity to give life to others. 00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:52.640 Today, precious saints, you are alive and breathing, able to give that breath as worship to God, your creator, who made you in his image, who works all things for his glory and your good. 00:28:53.279 --> 00:28:56.160 So with a full heart, I say thank you, Mom. 00:28:56.400 --> 00:28:57.359 I love you. 00:28:57.599 --> 00:28:59.359 Happy Mother's Day. 00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:06.880 Thank you for listening to the Forn for War podcast. 00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:10.480 We hope today's message has empowered you to make a difference in your world. 00:29:10.640 --> 00:29:16.480 To connect with Pastor Steve's sermons, books, and blog, visit Steve Holtonline.org. 00:29:16.640 --> 00:29:17.599 God bless.