WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:01.520 Life and breath. 00:00:02.959 --> 00:00:11.599 I have heard it called the flipping through the pages of scripture as we all turn to the same passage as Baptist air conditioning. 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:17.280 But obviously, we have some Baptist exercise as well. 00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:28.480 So if you would please turn in your Bibles to Mark chapter 14 and stand with me if you were able, out of reverence for the reading of the Word of God. 00:00:44.399 --> 00:00:46.000 Hear the Word of God. 00:00:48.320 --> 00:01:00.159 Now the Passover and unleavened bread were two days away, and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to seize him by stealth and kill him. 00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:07.280 For they were saying, Not during the festival, otherwise there might be a riot of the people. 00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:26.319 While he was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial, a very costly perfume, of pure nard, and she broke the vial and poured it over his head. 00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:33.200 But some were indignantly remarking to one another, Why has this perfume been wasted? 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:40.959 For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denari, and the money given to the poor. 00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:44.000 And they were scolding her. 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:49.680 But Jesus said, Let her alone, why do you bother her? 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:53.920 She has gone done a good deal deed to me. 00:01:55.439 --> 00:02:01.599 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them. 00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:04.799 But you do not always have me. 00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:07.680 She has done what she could. 00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:12.319 She has anointed my body beforehand for the burial. 00:02:13.520 --> 00:02:25.039 Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her. 00:02:26.639 --> 00:02:33.840 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:45.759 And they were glad when they had heard this, and promised to give him money, and he began, and he began seeking how to betray him at an opportune time. 00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:49.199 This is the word of God, you may be seated. 00:02:49.439 --> 00:02:52.080 Brian, would you please come and lead us? 00:03:06.240 --> 00:03:11.840 Let us go to the Lord one more time as we dive into his word. 00:03:13.199 --> 00:03:20.319 We're so desperately needy for him and his illumination and the joy of the Lord. 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:32.639 Heavenly Father, we thank you again for the absolute privilege that it is to dive into your word, to be fed, nourished by you through the power of your spirit. 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:57.280 And so, Father, we ask again that this would not just be a time where we hear and acknowledge and walk away and forget, or walk away and neglect, but that we would be true doers of the word, that we would apply what we hear and see, and that your glory, your fame would be evident here, and that we would honor you in all that we in how we respond to the preaching of the word. 00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:15.919 Again, lead and guide my heart, my mind, my mouth, as I proclaim your truth, and guard us all in such a way that we would not only hear the truth, but that we would realize where we need to be changed. 00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:19.920 And that we would walk in Christ's likeness all the more through this time. 00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:22.399 We pray this in Christ's name. 00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:23.360 Amen. 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:29.759 Well, today is Wednesday. 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:38.560 The middle of the week, and a day in which is mostly thought of today as a day where we only got a couple more work days left. 00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:40.319 We got a few behind us. 00:04:40.720 --> 00:04:46.480 Most of us look forward to the weekend with fervent passion, especially if you have Saturday plans. 00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:51.199 For me, Wednesday is one of the highlights of the week because it's date night. 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:58.240 Most of you in here with the traditional work schedule, you just love the weekend, getting closer by the day. 00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:06.399 But what if you knew that a cross awaited you this weekend? 00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:15.839 What if you knew that your best friends would absolutely abandon you to varying degrees in just a matter of hours? 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:27.439 What if you knew that your enemies would be jovial and screaming with excitement about making sure that you are about to receive an excruciating death? 00:05:28.879 --> 00:05:37.839 What if you knew that in just two days, our coveted Friday evening would be one where you would feel intense pain? 00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:44.639 The intense pain physically, emotionally, and spiritually? 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:51.839 What if you knew that you were about to die a horrible, bloody, innocent death? 00:05:53.199 --> 00:06:01.920 And worse yet, what if you knew that the Heavenly Father was willingly gonna pour out his eternal wrath that by all rights should go to us? 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:04.000 But it's gonna come to you. 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:08.079 It's Wednesday, brothers and sisters. 00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:13.439 And our Savior is about to be betrayed and killed on a cross. 00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:26.160 In our text for today, we see that this Wednesday brings really some surprising and mind-blowing responses from those who get a chance to be close to this Jesus. 00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:36.240 And so as we continue to examine the last few hours of the life of Jesus with our brother Mark, I want to ask you a question. 00:06:38.160 --> 00:06:44.000 If I were to ask you, who is the most evil, the evilest person that has ever lived, who comes to your mind? 00:06:45.439 --> 00:06:49.680 I think for a lot of people, maybe Adolf Hitler comes to mind. 00:06:50.240 --> 00:06:51.279 Rightly so. 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:53.279 He's incredibly wicked. 00:06:53.360 --> 00:07:01.920 He was, of course, in charge of the slaughtering of millions of Jews, among others, and many other human atrocities. 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:05.360 How about Emperor Nero, for any of you historians? 00:07:05.759 --> 00:07:13.519 I mentioned this man last week, and he's the one who severely persecuted Christians for simply refusing to recant their faith in Christ. 00:07:13.759 --> 00:07:20.240 He would have them become human torches that lit the gardens and even some of the city streets in Rome. 00:07:20.959 --> 00:07:25.279 He would have some of them dressed in animal skins and ravaged by wild dogs. 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:31.519 He set fire to Rome and blamed Christians for it, who, of course, were heavily persecuted for this. 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:35.279 What about Herod the Great? 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:48.079 A man who was so worried about someone, the Messiah, he was so worried about him coming and ending his rule, threatening his rule over the Jewish people, that he had all the children under the age of two killed throughout an entire city. 00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:52.079 How about Joseph Stalin? 00:07:53.199 --> 00:08:02.079 This paranoid lunatic communist leader from Russia who killed, by some estimates, more than 20 million, far more than Hitler. 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:07.040 For a variety of reasons, from religious to political differences. 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:12.399 Or consider Mao Zedong from China. 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:21.360 A genocidal maniac communist leader, who by some accounts killed more than 40 million people. 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:27.279 Some for as little as writing something about him or his policies he didn't like. 00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:33.279 How about the racist eugenics supporter Margaret Singer? 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:36.159 Maybe a lesser-known name. 00:08:36.320 --> 00:08:41.519 Eugenics, of course, is the idea that societies should get rid of those who are deemed lesser. 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:50.879 She spent her life dedicated to the pursuit of ensuring that women can prevent having, in her words, to be burdened with children. 00:08:51.919 --> 00:09:10.080 She founded the idea of birth control and then went on to establish what we know today as Planned Parenthood, formerly called the American Birth Control League, focusing her efforts on ensuring that black people aren't having as many children, which is, of course, a part of that eugenics strategy. 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:26.799 Planned Parenthood is today responsible for around 400,000 murders each year of the most innocent among us, which is now fulfilling Margaret Singer's dream of even going so far as to abort children in the womb. 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:30.240 What about Osama bin Laden? 00:09:30.639 --> 00:09:32.000 Household name. 00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:41.279 Based on his perverse religious beliefs, he had a desire to kill all for the sake of killing any and all in Western culture, especially Americans. 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:47.039 And we know all too well the devastation that he mastermind not that long ago. 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:51.039 So I know this is encouraging, right? 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:54.960 But what do all those people have in common? 00:09:57.840 --> 00:10:02.240 That may be easy to answer in some respects, but I want to get to that in just a moment. 00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:06.320 But first, I want to look at some people who are just the opposite. 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:13.919 If I were to ask you who the greatest Christian of all time was, who did the most for the Lord, who comes to your mind? 00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:17.759 Maybe for most of us, the Apostle Paul? 00:10:18.080 --> 00:10:26.480 The man who wrote a large portion of the New Testament and went on to lead many, many people to Christ, planting churches all over the place, praise God. 00:10:27.679 --> 00:10:29.840 What about Augustine? 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:32.159 Or Augustine, your flavor? 00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:36.639 The man who many regard as the most important theologian of the ancient Western culture. 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:40.159 He wrote books such as The City of God and Confessions. 00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:46.639 Many say he helped us to learn even today how to read and really understand our Bibles in a more faithful way. 00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:49.600 What about Martin Luther? 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:52.960 At the end of this month, we're going to be celebrating the Reformation. 00:10:53.039 --> 00:11:07.120 This is the man that's really the figurehead of the Reformation, the man who posted his 95 thesis on the door at Wittenberg in Germany, that helped to spark this revolution that we are still feeling in the church the beneficial effects of even down to today. 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:13.039 And really, that was a huge catalyst for many of the good things that we as America were founded upon. 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:25.759 The Great Reformation movement returned us to the importance of the doctrine of justification in Scripture, and really Scripture alone, among many other doctrines that were lost at that time. 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:28.240 What about Jonathan Edwards? 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:29.279 Heard of him? 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:36.399 A great Puritan whom many deemed to be the most important and influential American theologian and pastor to ever have lived. 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:41.200 His works are still influencing our churches to this day, praise God. 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:48.720 He was instrumental in starting what is called the Great Awakening, where we saw a great revival for Christ in America. 00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:55.279 He was also very instrumental for how Americans feel about the importance of missions to this day, foreign missions. 00:11:57.120 --> 00:12:00.799 Fast forwarding a little bit, we have Charles Spurgeon, probably heard of him. 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:03.279 They called him the Prince of Preachers. 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:11.120 His sermons were and still are a collection of messages that can and change your, can and will change your heart towards Christ if you read them. 00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:12.720 Pretty fantastic. 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:17.120 Maybe today, up until just a few months ago, we had John MacArthur. 00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:24.720 A man that was a faithful student of the Word, spent his entire life not only preaching the gospel, but preaching it faithfully. 00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:28.080 A man that sacrificed much to get the gospel message out. 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:33.279 And we've seen much fruit from his ministry throughout the years by the grace of God. 00:12:33.440 --> 00:12:41.840 Many, many people today are Christians because of the ministry of John MacArthur and the expositional preaching of the Word of God by the grace of God. 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:48.320 Expositional meaning just exposing the text instead of my own ideas. 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:51.919 And so what do those guys have in common? 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:53.120 What do those people have in common? 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:54.639 What is it that they have? 00:12:56.320 --> 00:13:03.360 Well, before I answer that, I want to go back to the question I posed with the first group of infamous people, those monsters. 00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:09.840 What are those who have committed those atrocities have in common? 00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:13.840 Well, besides the obvious, what's behind the evil? 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:24.159 I would say ultimately, they come to find their identity in their own pride and power at the expense of others. 00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:30.159 And you could definitely go so far as to say they were led by Satan in what they did. 00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:33.279 Now compare that with the other list. 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:35.919 What do those people have in common? 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:42.399 Well, they found their identity at the feet of Jesus at the expense of their pride. 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:49.519 Now again, you may be asking yourselves, okay, where are you going with all this? 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:55.679 Well, today in the beginning of the 14th chapter of the book of Mark, I think we see the same kind of thing being played out. 00:13:56.639 --> 00:14:13.200 One is a man who rejects Christ and betrays him with the full support of the religious elite of the day, and the other is this woman who Jesus says will forever be remembered for this kind deed that was done to honor the King of Kings. 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:20.320 One was found at the feet of Jesus and the other in the presence of wicked men. 00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:25.120 Which one characterizes your life? 00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:30.240 Are we at the feet of Jesus daily, you know, proverbially? 00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:37.120 Or are we intentionally spending our time in the presence of wicked people? 00:14:40.639 --> 00:14:46.240 This passage begins by telling us that once again the chief priests and scribes are seeking a way to kill Jesus. 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:49.919 I'm sure they have nothing better to do in life while Jesus is here. 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:55.279 This time they're trying to figure out a way to do it, kind of in stealth mode. 00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:57.600 But isn't that just like evil? 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:02.639 To seek to do its work in the shadows, hidden from plain sight. 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:09.279 They were conspiring, saying to themselves, oh, well, we can't kill them during the festival. 00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:13.679 There might be a riot, and then we'll have Rome on top of us, is what the point is. 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:16.159 Now, why would there be a riot? 00:15:16.240 --> 00:15:27.840 Well, because there's some Galileans there and numerous others that actually love Jesus and his ministry because they're in town for the Passover and during their annual pilgrimage for the celebration. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:47.360 You see, they wanted to wait until these Jesus lovers were out of town and back to the normal lives so that they could then continue in their sinister plot against Jesus, which would have put Jesus on the cross sometime after Passover, which of course is never going to happen, because he is the Passover lamb to be slain. 00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:53.120 And so it's within God's sovereignty that Jesus is going to be crucified at the appointed time. 00:15:53.200 --> 00:16:00.399 And this appointed time means that the city would have been at its height of population when Christ goes to the cross. 00:16:00.559 --> 00:16:02.879 Some estimates of about two million. 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:14.399 And so they're a little apprehensive about doing what they want to do. 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:20.480 The point is, Jesus' work on the cross is not going to go unnoticed. 00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:25.039 It was not going to be done in the shadows as these men would have hoped. 00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:31.679 No, it was going to be done in the daytime and in front of the most people that could have possibly been there at the time. 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:36.480 Which interestingly made these religious leaders out to be fools. 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:46.000 They thought they're going to put it in to Christ in this sinister plot, but what happened is that in front of thousands, God is now glorified on the cross. 00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:49.440 And we'll talk more about the cross as we go through, of course. 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:55.679 And they were about to be a part of the glorification of the Son and the redemption of God's people. 00:16:55.919 --> 00:16:57.120 Unwittingly. 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:11.599 So there's this, of course, in God's providence, there's a sovereign turn of events that we see taking place in our passage for today, which is only too good to be true for the chief priest, at least they think so. 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:27.519 As the last couple verses of our passage for today tell us, Judas Iscariot goes to them to betray Jesus, and as we find throughout the Gospels, for just really a few bucks. 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:34.640 He told his master, are you sold his master for the price of a slave, we find? 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:38.799 30 pieces of silver. 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:53.359 That then allows and almost forces the hands of these hard-hearted men to do what they had been plotting just a little earlier than expected. 00:17:54.720 --> 00:18:01.119 This is really a sharp contrast to what we see back in Bethany at the home of Simon the Leper, which we're going to talk about in a moment. 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:07.039 But what I want to do is really dive into verses 10 and 11 and look at this betrayal. 00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:16.160 At the start of this, I listed out a handful of people who are the worst of the worst in terms of crimes committed. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:23.200 But what crime could possibly be more atrocious than the one that delivered up our Lord to the high priest? 00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:33.119 Judas Scarriot, by all rights, tops the list of the worst of the worst for this infamous act. 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:41.680 One of the reasons I say that is because this man, Judas, had the very privilege of being in the presence of Jesus while he walked the earth. 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:43.119 He was his companion. 00:18:43.359 --> 00:18:50.079 He was an eye-witness to the healing of the leper, the man on the mat, the sick, the raising of the little girl. 00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:51.680 I mean, think of the occasions. 00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:56.240 The raising of Lazarus, the very touch of Jesus Christ. 00:18:57.599 --> 00:19:03.920 This man, Judas, was good friends with the other apostles who were absolutely in love with the Nazarene. 00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:10.160 He was even sent by Jesus to go out and preach the good news. 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:16.079 He was out preaching that the kingdom of God was here and the call is to repent and believe. 00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:19.759 And yet all the time he was really not a follower of Jesus. 00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:25.279 He was actually a worker of iniquity, a son of disobedience, a child of the devil. 00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:29.279 Wolf in sheep's clothing. 00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:36.079 And he ends up with the worst reputation of any man who has ever or will ever walk the face of the earth. 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:40.960 Worse than Adam in that original sin? 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:43.119 Worse than Cain and his murder of his brother? 00:19:43.279 --> 00:19:46.960 Worse than Pharaoh when he had all the children killed? 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:49.839 Worse than all those people already listed. 00:19:51.119 --> 00:19:51.759 Why? 00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:55.200 He betrayed the Son of God. 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:01.279 So what was it that caused him? 00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:09.119 What was the sin in his life that brought him to this point of doing this wicked work, even after watching all of what Jesus did? 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:14.720 What was it that led him to do this heinous act of selling out Christ? 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:21.039 I mean, he's in the inner circle of the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. 00:20:21.200 --> 00:20:23.200 What could possibly lead you to this? 00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:28.640 Well, we know he was paid. 00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:32.400 And so there's probably fear, there's other things. 00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:35.359 There's obviously unbelief. 00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:41.599 But what we have to reduce it down to is a love of money. 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:47.599 We know he was led by the devil to do this work. 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:53.200 Luke 22, 3 tells us Satan entered Judas and promoted or prompted him to do this work. 00:20:53.279 --> 00:20:56.880 But what was it that the devil used to convince him to do this thing? 00:20:57.039 --> 00:20:59.680 What was the open door, so to speak? 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:01.279 Money. 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:05.920 Stuff. 00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:14.720 We can know that Judas wasn't ever one of the Lord's children because he was able to be indwelt by Satan. 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:20.079 And so he uses Judas's weaknesses to convince him to do this evil deed. 00:21:20.400 --> 00:21:24.000 Judas just so happened to be the treasurer of the group as well. 00:21:24.160 --> 00:21:25.519 Interesting, isn't it? 00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:33.759 Remember, for the last two or three years that he had been following Jesus around, they were all pretty poor, right? 00:21:34.799 --> 00:21:36.720 They didn't have incomes. 00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:40.160 They didn't have grand houses or savings to rely on. 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:42.720 They couldn't pull out of the 401k. 00:21:44.240 --> 00:21:45.839 But they had their needs met. 00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:48.160 Jesus saw to that. 00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:51.039 But for somebody who loves money? 00:21:51.359 --> 00:21:56.319 For somebody who loves stuff, having your needs met is never enough. 00:21:58.240 --> 00:21:59.599 It reminds me of the account. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:06.960 Uh from the book of 2 Kings, where Elisha's servant forsakes the word of his master to go and seek out a little extra cash. 00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:13.119 In that account, Elisha heals this uh wealthy Syrian general named Naaman. 00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:17.119 Naaman wants to give Elisha some compensation for this, and Elisha refuses. 00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:18.400 No, this is for God. 00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:20.400 This is my this is work for God. 00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:25.359 But Gehazi, Elisha's servant, isn't satisfied with just his needs being met. 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:33.680 So after he leaves, after Naaman leaves Elisha's side, Gehazi goes after him and lies and says, Oh, Elisha changed his mind. 00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:36.640 I'll go ahead and take that stuff now, that money. 00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:41.519 That doesn't end well for Gehazi if you read the account, as you can imagine. 00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:47.359 But the point is, is that the love of money can cause all kinds of wickedness to bubble up from our hearts. 00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:50.319 And you could say it's a love of stuff, the love of me time. 00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:52.240 Whatever it is. 00:22:55.200 --> 00:23:04.079 And so, again, as the other gospels tell us, for 30 pieces of silver, not even half the price of the perfume that the woman poured out over the head of Jesus. 00:23:06.319 --> 00:23:10.880 Judas tells the chief priests, okay, guys, I'll figure it out. 00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:15.599 I will figure out a way to get Jesus in the shadows without the crowds noticing. 00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:18.720 I will betray Jesus for the price set for a slave. 00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:31.440 By the way, I won't dive too much into this, but this is the same sum that Joseph back in the day in Genesis was sold into slavery for by his brothers, by his kin. 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:47.279 Which is just one more piece of what we call biblical theology that shows us that Jesus is the perfect fulfillment, the better Joseph, as he's also sold by his family, but goes on to save. 00:23:47.599 --> 00:23:49.920 Joseph saves people from starvation. 00:23:50.240 --> 00:23:52.799 Jesus goes on to save people eternally. 00:23:54.880 --> 00:23:57.519 And so I just want to say the obvious. 00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:05.279 Brothers and sisters, let us never allow money or anything else to take hold of us in this life. 00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:10.319 Christ has promised us our needs as long as we have life. 00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:15.200 That is enough. 00:24:16.480 --> 00:24:22.960 Actually, it's more than enough that we have Christ because we have the gospel for our very own. 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:24.079 Eternally. 00:24:24.720 --> 00:24:25.599 That's enough. 00:24:25.759 --> 00:24:28.240 That is more than all the silver and the gold in the world, right? 00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:32.640 We have Jesus Christ in us through his spirit. 00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:40.079 I know our culture tells us that we don't have anything until we have that car that talks to us, that drives by itself. 00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:43.920 That house that's just a little bigger. 00:24:45.039 --> 00:24:50.799 That wall-sized TV that has an even clearer picture, it's my vision, you know. 00:24:53.119 --> 00:24:56.240 That side by side that can hold all the family. 00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:01.759 Now, of course, those things are okay in and of themselves. 00:25:01.839 --> 00:25:03.440 It's not like they're sinful. 00:25:03.839 --> 00:25:13.039 But if they ever cause you to forsake Christ in some way, even a small way, they are sinful and they will lead us to coveting and idolatry. 00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:17.680 If they are taken away, if they burn up, what does our life then look like? 00:25:17.920 --> 00:25:19.200 That's how we can know. 00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:21.440 Do we hold our things with an open hand? 00:25:21.680 --> 00:25:23.519 Judas didn't. 00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:29.599 Do we hold our things, our money, whatever, is nice, but definitely not essential? 00:25:30.880 --> 00:25:44.559 Because once food, water, clothing, and housing, once those are insufficient, when they become insufficient for our joy in the Lord, then we are now in the arid desert of idolatry, easy prey for the wild beasts of our own making. 00:25:45.920 --> 00:25:52.319 That's exactly what the devil used to urge Judas to betray his Savior, Jesus. 00:25:52.640 --> 00:25:53.920 Idolatry. 00:25:56.000 --> 00:26:03.440 We should always pray that our priorities are ordered in a way that puts God and his people first and everything else a distant second. 00:26:05.680 --> 00:26:12.079 For example, we can never be found waxing our car if it's been five days since we've cracked open our Bible. 00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:18.319 We cannot be found on the field of play if it's been weeks and weeks since we've worshipped with the people of God. 00:26:19.279 --> 00:26:24.240 We cannot be found hoarding our time when the people of God are exhausting themselves for the kingdom. 00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:33.599 We cannot be found coveting that age-old yellow and shiny piece of metal with our hearts detached to its beauty as though it were eternal and our Savior. 00:26:34.400 --> 00:26:41.359 We must be found seeking Christ as we lay down all of the idols that we have a tendency to love. 00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:46.000 Because the sinfulness of our own hearts is corrupting. 00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:52.400 The sinfulness of man has earth-shattering consequences. 00:26:52.559 --> 00:26:55.440 It put the God man on the cross. 00:26:56.079 --> 00:27:10.000 Let us never take our sin lightly, let us never be found in that comfortable position of pursuing power only, or position, or status, or success, or money, or materials in our pride. 00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:16.400 Let us instead put all of our hope, all of our trust, faith, energy, and provisions into kingdom work. 00:27:17.680 --> 00:27:25.680 And I think we see that exact thing played out today in this passage with this woman. 00:27:27.200 --> 00:27:32.000 What it's telling us in summary is she's giving her all to the Savior. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:36.640 So let's switch gears and look at that. 00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:40.400 Let's look at the opposite of betrayal. 00:27:41.039 --> 00:27:42.799 Let's look at right worship. 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:46.880 I want to read over verses 3 through 9 again with me. 00:27:47.039 --> 00:27:47.839 Turn there. 00:28:07.359 --> 00:28:12.000 But some were indignantly remarking to one another, Why has this perfume been wasted? 00:28:12.079 --> 00:28:16.319 For this perfume might have been sold for over 300 denarii in the money given to the poor. 00:28:16.480 --> 00:28:18.240 And they were scolding her. 00:28:18.720 --> 00:28:21.039 But Jesus said, Let her alone, why do you bother her? 00:28:21.200 --> 00:28:23.039 She has done a good deed to me. 00:28:23.680 --> 00:28:29.440 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish, you can do good to them, but you do not always have me. 00:28:29.839 --> 00:28:35.119 She has done what she could, she has anointed my body beforehand for the burial. 00:28:35.440 --> 00:28:42.640 Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken in memory of her. 00:28:43.440 --> 00:28:44.000 Wow. 00:28:47.039 --> 00:28:54.319 Jesus is back in Bethany, as we see him returning all this last week of his life in the evenings. 00:28:54.640 --> 00:29:01.279 He'd retire there to Bethany, and we see him at the home of this healed leper named Simon. 00:29:01.920 --> 00:29:03.839 Isn't that just like Jesus? 00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:07.839 Not choosing the leader, mayor of the town, that house. 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:11.440 Not choosing the plush house with the royal treatment. 00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:15.839 He goes to a former leper's house, maybe one that he healed, doesn't say. 00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:20.480 A man that was probably still plagued with the stigma of being that guy, right? 00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:22.480 Ew. 00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:24.720 I wouldn't want to go there. 00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:27.200 I don't want to come close to that guy. 00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:30.640 But of course, that's where Jesus is. 00:29:31.359 --> 00:29:37.200 He's spending time with those who will love him and follow him, not those that the world deem important. 00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:41.680 And at his home, our passage tells us he's reclining at the table. 00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:45.920 Now that sounds a little bit odd to us because we don't recline at the table. 00:29:46.160 --> 00:29:49.759 If kids try to recline at the table, the parents get on them, right? 00:29:51.920 --> 00:29:52.960 He's eating dinner. 00:29:53.200 --> 00:29:55.200 Remember, they didn't have tables like we had today. 00:29:55.279 --> 00:30:03.359 They actually had short tables and they would lean kind of on one elbow and literally recline as they eat and fellowship together. 00:30:03.519 --> 00:30:05.119 There's not really chairs there. 00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:11.279 And as he was eating, a woman came with this expensive bottle or vial of perfume. 00:30:12.160 --> 00:30:15.920 Mark tells us it was pure nard, or another word, is spike nard. 00:30:16.960 --> 00:30:20.880 This perfume is really at the time one of the costliest around. 00:30:21.920 --> 00:30:24.079 It was probably from India. 00:30:25.039 --> 00:30:27.440 Not cheap, not easy to come by. 00:30:27.839 --> 00:30:32.880 As I said, it was worth way more than twice of what Judas received in his betrayal. 00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:41.359 Which tells me that she took the most expensive thing that she had and pours it over the head of her Savior. 00:30:42.400 --> 00:30:44.319 As an anointing. 00:30:45.839 --> 00:30:50.319 And this I would say is no spur-of-the-moment decision, like, oh, what do I got? 00:30:50.400 --> 00:30:51.119 Here you go. 00:30:51.440 --> 00:30:52.480 It's not that. 00:30:54.000 --> 00:31:03.359 She hoped beyond hope that when she got to this place, she'd be able to see Jesus in the flesh, and she did not want to be in his presence without bringing something precious to him. 00:31:03.920 --> 00:31:07.039 Not because he asked for or demanded it, though. 00:31:07.440 --> 00:31:16.480 But because when you go before a king, when you're going to go before the king of the universe, do you show up empty-handed? 00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:25.680 You can't help but want to bring tribute to his goodness, to his power, to his glory, his majesty. 00:31:26.319 --> 00:31:27.359 That's her. 00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:31.279 How about us? 00:31:34.559 --> 00:31:39.599 Now, I want to completely set aside physical sacrifice, including money. 00:31:39.839 --> 00:31:42.400 That's not where I'm going with this, but what about you? 00:31:44.319 --> 00:31:49.599 Do you come before him realizing who he is each and every Lord's Day morning? 00:31:50.240 --> 00:31:55.279 Do you come with your life and your soul just being laid down for his glory and his will? 00:31:57.519 --> 00:32:00.960 Is that your countenance when you come before him and worship? 00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:05.680 Because that's really what's going on here. 00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:10.880 We'll talk more about the purpose of this event in a minute, but do you come to church like this? 00:32:12.240 --> 00:32:21.119 Not pouring out perfume, hopefully not, but pouring out your life for him and his people as an act of worship. 00:32:21.440 --> 00:32:32.160 I mean, you could look around your house all day and seek to find something given that would be worthy, and you wouldn't find anything more important than your very life, your very soul to give unto him. 00:32:33.039 --> 00:32:35.440 That's what this lady is representing. 00:32:35.920 --> 00:32:40.720 She gave all, including a very expensive gift that had huge implications. 00:32:41.279 --> 00:32:46.240 She was showing that her heart was Christ, that her life was for him, for his glory. 00:32:46.400 --> 00:32:49.039 She realized that her life wasn't hers any longer. 00:32:49.200 --> 00:32:50.640 That's a Christian. 00:32:52.240 --> 00:32:55.519 In Jesus' day, they would anoint for a variety of things. 00:32:55.759 --> 00:32:59.359 They would anoint their leaders on inauguration day. 00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:02.319 They would anoint people as a sign of respect. 00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:04.480 They would anoint for healing, and on and on. 00:33:04.640 --> 00:33:08.160 But I think what we see here today is an anointing for two reasons. 00:33:10.000 --> 00:33:12.880 One is it was a sign of mourning. 00:33:14.319 --> 00:33:20.319 And the other was to signify what takes place at a burial. 00:33:21.839 --> 00:33:26.160 Jesus says in verse 8 that she is anointing him for his burial beforehand. 00:33:29.599 --> 00:33:30.720 She gets it. 00:33:31.920 --> 00:33:33.279 And she's worshiping. 00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:42.960 So it was for mourning or weeping of what was to come and as a sign of the burial that was just about to take place. 00:33:43.359 --> 00:33:49.920 It's an absolutely beautiful act of love and sacrifice and worship that the disciples should have learned from, right? 00:33:51.440 --> 00:33:53.599 But they don't right away, do they? 00:33:54.240 --> 00:34:04.000 Instead of viewing this faithful action and more importantly, dwelling on the point of it and being sober-minded in what's just about to happen, because remember, Jesus kept telling them, I'm gonna die. 00:34:04.160 --> 00:34:05.279 It's coming. 00:34:06.960 --> 00:34:08.800 No, they become indignant. 00:34:10.400 --> 00:34:15.440 Some of the disciples watch this and they get angry and say, You just wasted all that money. 00:34:17.280 --> 00:34:18.960 That's like a year's worth of wages. 00:34:19.039 --> 00:34:20.400 What's wrong with you? 00:34:24.480 --> 00:34:26.079 I want you to hear that again. 00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:37.119 She anoints Jesus with an expensive perfume which points to his burial and the mourning that will ensue. 00:34:38.239 --> 00:34:42.000 And the disciples tell her, You wasted it. 00:34:46.079 --> 00:34:54.639 She pours out this very expensive perfume on the head of her Savior, which is an act of blessing to Jesus in her humble recognition. 00:34:55.280 --> 00:34:57.920 It is really a show of praise and adoration by her. 00:34:58.079 --> 00:35:00.079 And the disciples say, You're waste. 00:35:00.400 --> 00:35:01.760 It's a waste. 00:35:05.599 --> 00:35:07.599 That could have been given to the poor. 00:35:08.480 --> 00:35:10.880 Which I think they may have been thinking of themselves. 00:35:12.159 --> 00:35:14.559 You could have sacrificed for the cause. 00:35:16.719 --> 00:35:17.599 Maybe. 00:35:26.079 --> 00:35:29.679 There is no greater sacrifice than that unto Christ. 00:35:32.079 --> 00:35:34.880 They wanted moderation in her giving to the Lord. 00:35:35.039 --> 00:35:37.039 Okay, maybe a drop or two. 00:35:38.079 --> 00:35:39.679 That's way more than 10%. 00:35:46.880 --> 00:35:48.480 They say, give it to the poor. 00:35:48.719 --> 00:35:56.559 I think so many times in our day and age, the modern equivalent would be that we get this spiritual high from our social work or our social justice stuff. 00:35:56.800 --> 00:35:57.440 Right? 00:35:58.639 --> 00:36:02.400 Feeding the poor, cleaning up the streets, being that good citizen. 00:36:03.519 --> 00:36:05.599 And just forget about Christ. 00:36:06.719 --> 00:36:08.079 And you do it for self. 00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:16.559 Do you give as much worship to Christ as you do in being nice? 00:36:18.400 --> 00:36:20.800 That's a good question for some of us. 00:36:21.679 --> 00:36:25.440 But of course, there is no such a thing as giving too much to the Lord, is there? 00:36:26.079 --> 00:36:30.079 There is no such thing as a life that has been given too much to God. 00:36:30.239 --> 00:36:33.599 A life that is sacrificed too greatly for the Lord. 00:36:33.920 --> 00:36:35.840 Think of what our Lord has given to us. 00:36:36.000 --> 00:36:37.599 What did He pour out? 00:36:39.039 --> 00:36:43.280 Tell me what would be too costly for you to sacrifice on behalf of God. 00:36:45.360 --> 00:36:57.199 There's nothing too costly when it comes to giving to the Lord, no matter if it's our stuff, our money, our time, and especially our desires and affections, and really our whole lives. 00:36:58.000 --> 00:36:58.400 Yeah? 00:36:58.559 --> 00:37:00.639 The world will call you a fanatic. 00:37:01.039 --> 00:37:01.679 Been there? 00:37:02.239 --> 00:37:08.639 A nutcase, fundamentalist, crazy, Bible thumper, you name it. 00:37:08.800 --> 00:37:11.679 Probably some other things that we won't repeat. 00:37:12.320 --> 00:37:13.199 Stupid. 00:37:14.800 --> 00:37:15.440 What are you doing? 00:37:15.519 --> 00:37:22.159 You've given so much of your life to something you can't even see the benefits of, they would say. 00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:28.719 But never let that deter you from pouring all of who you are out for your Lord. 00:37:28.960 --> 00:37:37.280 This woman showed the Lord and the disciples that day that she's willing to give everything for his sake, anything and everything for the sake of the gospel and the Savior. 00:37:37.519 --> 00:37:38.159 Are you? 00:37:40.559 --> 00:37:42.559 Would you give up all your savings? 00:37:43.280 --> 00:37:45.519 Would you give up all the equity in your home? 00:37:45.679 --> 00:37:48.000 All of your retirement, all your comfortable. 00:37:48.559 --> 00:37:50.000 What about your recliner? 00:37:51.840 --> 00:37:56.639 That perfectly formed mattress just broke in. 00:37:58.800 --> 00:38:01.119 What about your earthly happiness? 00:38:03.360 --> 00:38:06.800 What if God said you're gonna be Job 2.0? 00:38:10.719 --> 00:38:11.920 Your family. 00:38:13.360 --> 00:38:16.719 What if he said, Your life is required of you for my glory? 00:38:17.360 --> 00:38:18.239 Right now. 00:38:21.360 --> 00:38:25.920 Just for the opportunity to pour out your all as a blessing to the Lord, is it worth it? 00:38:27.679 --> 00:38:29.280 That's what we're here for. 00:38:31.039 --> 00:38:33.039 That's what this woman shows. 00:38:33.599 --> 00:38:39.280 And Jesus says, what she's showing will forever be remembered where the gospel is preached. 00:38:39.360 --> 00:38:41.920