1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:04,920 Father in heaven, as we open Your word, we pray for the Holy 2 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:08,560 Spirit's illumination. We pray that we better eyes to 3 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:13,840 see and ears to hear, minds to think correctly, and hearts that 4 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:19,000 feel what You want us to feel, that respond with affection, 5 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:22,760 devotion, and love. Pray that You would cause a 6 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:27,880 story that's very familiar for many of us not to remain in a 7 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:33,280 place that is too familiar, but one that inspires us to see your 8 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:38,640 glory and what it means to love you with all of our heart, mind, 9 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:41,960 body and soul. We pray this in Jesus name, 10 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:44,840 Amen. If you would remain standing for 11 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:47,960 the reading of God's Word. And we're in the Gospel of John 12 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:52,640 now entering into chapter 12, and the story I'm about to read 13 00:00:53,040 --> 00:01:02,000 is the most beautiful expression of love from this woman, Mary to 14 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:06,440 her Savior. Matthew records this account, as 15 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:11,640 does Mark and as John. And in doing so, at the end of 16 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:16,200 the account, both in Matthew and Mark, Jesus said what this woman 17 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:21,880 has done for me will be told of her over the entire world 18 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:24,600 wherever the gospel is proclaimed. 19 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:29,560 Why did he say that? As I read the story, I want you 20 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:32,560 to enter in. I want you to imagine the scene 21 00:01:32,960 --> 00:01:37,800 where the disciples at the home of Simon the leper reclining at 22 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:43,320 this table is Mary is present, and Martha is present and the 23 00:01:43,320 --> 00:01:47,160 risen Lazarus is present. I want you to see and hear and 24 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:51,440 even smell what's taking place in this truly remarkable story 25 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,520 of love beginning at verse one. And I'll read through verse 11. 26 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:59,240 Six days before the Passover. Jesus therefore came to Bethany, 27 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:02,600 where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 28 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:07,000 So they gave a dinner for him. There Martha served, and Lazarus 29 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:09,520 was one of those reclining with him at table. 30 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:13,520 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from 31 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:17,920 pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with 32 00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:20,280 her hair. The house was filled with the 33 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,920 fragrance of the perfume, but Judas Iscariot, one of his 34 00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:28,760 disciples, he was about to betray him, said why was this 35 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:33,120 ointment not sold for 300 denai and given to the poor? 36 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,240 He said this not because he cared about the poor, but 37 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:39,000 because he was a thief, and having charge of the money bag 38 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:41,640 he used to help himself to what was put into it. 39 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:46,440 Jesus said, Leave her alone so that she may keep it for the day 40 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:49,520 of my burial. For the poor you always have 41 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:51,880 with you, but you do not always have me. 42 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:55,320 When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, 43 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:59,880 they came not only on account of him, but also to see Lazarus, 44 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,440 whom he raised from the dead. So the chief priest made plans 45 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:07,040 to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many 46 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:10,600 of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. 47 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:14,200 This is the word of the Lord, thanks be to God. 48 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:19,840 Please be seated in John 11. After the resurrection of 49 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:24,120 Lazarus, there's a hinge for the rest of the Gospel of John. 50 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:27,040 And what John is doing is he's showing how people are 51 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:33,400 responding to who Jesus is. Some have believed and some 52 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:36,440 remain in unbelief. Last week, the raising of 53 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:39,680 Lazarus, we saw that some of the Jews had come to saving faith in 54 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:43,560 Jesus. They believed in Jesus, but some 55 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:46,600 left an unbelief to turn Jesus into the authorities. 56 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:50,760 Some had received Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and some 57 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:54,560 continued to reject him. Now we find ourself a number of 58 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:58,160 days later in a town called Bethany, and there is a dinner 59 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:00,800 being held. This is amazing because it's 60 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,400 risky. The Jews, the Jewish leaders 61 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:07,600 have said, if you see Jesus, if you hear where he is, let us 62 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:09,360 know. So the very fact that they're 63 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:13,280 gathering is risky in and of itself, but this meal is taking 64 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:18,519 place to celebrate the reality that Lazarus, who was dead, is 65 00:04:18,519 --> 00:04:23,640 now alive. Mary and Martha are there, their 66 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:26,680 brother Lazarus and the disciples. 67 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:31,280 John tells us that the purpose of his gospel is that you may 68 00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:35,720 hear and you may believe. That's the ultimate goal, that 69 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:38,080 you would believe that Jesus is who he says he is. 70 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:43,560 This story that we just heard, many of you've heard before, but 71 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:48,920 it truly is the most amazing picture of love for Christ that 72 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:52,680 we see. This is a very, very hard sermon 73 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:56,600 to preach. It's not hard to preach because 74 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:59,280 it's hard to understand what happened. 75 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,560 It's hard to preach because Mary's experience and her 76 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:08,760 affection for the Lord seems so far ahead of my very own. 77 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:12,880 And I would imagine for many of you, the truth is the same. 78 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:16,440 You're going to sit under this for about 20 minutes. 79 00:05:16,840 --> 00:05:18,560 I've been sitting in this for weeks. 80 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:23,160 The conviction of the Holy Spirit is so powerful and so 81 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:27,800 gentle and so kind. But the fact that Jesus said in 82 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:33,960 Matthew and Mark to Judas, leave her alone, just as he said in 83 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:38,440 John, what she has done to me is a beautiful thing. 84 00:05:38,840 --> 00:05:43,320 And then Jesus says what she has done will be told. 85 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:48,400 Wherever the Gospel is told in this whole wide world, this 86 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:51,880 story of this woman and her affection for me, what she has 87 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:54,440 done and anointing me, it's going to be told. 88 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:57,520 Here's what's amazing. John's actually fulfilling that 89 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:00,160 promise. His Gospels written decades 90 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:04,360 later, and he's telling the story 2000 plus years later, 91 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:06,760 this flock committed to the Word of God. 92 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:10,400 God's fulfilling his promise. Again, we're looking at the same 93 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:15,360 story of a woman who was so transformed by the love of 94 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:20,560 Christ, the glory of Christ, the goodness of Christ, Christ the 95 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:25,320 living God, that what she did was extraordinary. 96 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:30,760 What I want to do this morning is I want to look at the ACT, I 97 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:33,760 want to look at her motives, and then I want to look at the 98 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,280 responses. But as I do it, I want to give 99 00:06:36,280 --> 00:06:41,320 you a warning. Mary is a woman. 100 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:46,520 She's not divine. She is not sinless. 101 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:53,600 She is a woman, a full human being just like you, a human 102 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:59,120 being just like me. Why would Jesus twice in the 103 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:03,360 Gospel say this about Mary? Why would he say through Matthew 104 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:07,560 and Mark to be recorded? What she has done to me will be 105 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:10,120 told everywhere. He didn't say that about anyone 106 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:13,480 else. Because two things. 107 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:20,720 One Jesus received her praise, her adoration, her love. 108 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:25,800 He received it because he alone is worthy of such affection. 109 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:31,240 He alone is worthy of us, His children, saying, I want to love 110 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:34,720 you with all of my heart, mind, body and soul. 111 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:38,440 I want to be free to love you. I want to be full in the way I 112 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:41,440 love you. Jesus alone is worthy of the 113 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:44,240 only one worthy of that affection, the only one worthy 114 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:49,120 of that praise. And Mary is a woman who showed 115 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:54,120 it in such an extraordinary way. But sometimes I think we think 116 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:58,320 that she was so far ahead of us or so far divine that that's not 117 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,440 possible for us. Friends, it is. 118 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:07,880 She was just a human being saved by the grace of Christ, just 119 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:12,520 like you and just like me. But what she does is truly 120 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:17,680 extraordinary. Jesus tells us that the story we 121 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:22,640 will be told to teach us that he's worthy of praise, but also 122 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:28,920 to inform us what true devotion, what true love, what true 123 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:32,559 adoration, what true worship should look like. 124 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:35,080 Now immediately some of you are going. 125 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:40,799 I'm not sure Mary's response should be seen as normative for 126 00:08:40,799 --> 00:08:43,520 the people of God. I want to ask you a question 127 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:47,840 then. If Mary's is at the extreme end 128 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:52,200 of adoration and love and wonder, how far are you willing 129 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:56,120 to go away from that to say this is really what God's expecting? 130 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:01,800 Friends, the Word of God says that the greatest command is to 131 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:06,760 love the Lord God with all of your heart, mind, body and soul. 132 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:11,400 Here in this narrative, He is showing us a picture just before 133 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:16,880 He goes to the cross of a woman who for His glory and by His 134 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:19,320 grace is seeking to love him that way. 135 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:24,240 And it's because she knows nothing better. 136 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:27,920 So let's look at the ACT, then the motivation, then the 137 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:31,520 response. So how would we define the ACT? 138 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:34,480 If you were present, you would have been shot. 139 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:38,960 We don't know if Mary told Martha she was going to do this. 140 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:44,440 I don't, since she did. But if you were there and all 141 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:48,000 you were doing was sitting, reclining at the table, 142 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:52,240 listening to the conversation, smelling the fragrance of the 143 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:56,120 food that Martha's cooking, suddenly this woman, you know 144 00:09:56,120 --> 00:10:01,800 this woman, she appears, she takes this perfume, she breaks 145 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:04,080 it. Suddenly this, this perfume 146 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:05,720 that's expensive. I'll talk about that more in a 147 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:09,400 minute, Begins to overcome the the flavour in the air of the 148 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:12,640 food. This fragrance that's beautiful 149 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:15,440 and strong is moving through the house. 150 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:18,840 You'd have been shocked. You'd have been shocked because 151 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:21,720 Mary did that to begin with. You'd have been shocked. 152 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,920 But then she takes her hair down, a very intimate gesture. 153 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:28,920 Women did not take their hair down in public, but here she is 154 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:33,600 in a public setting, taking her hair down and washing the feet 155 00:10:33,680 --> 00:10:36,480 of Jesus. You would have been shocked. 156 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:41,640 You would have been shocked because of the gift and it's 157 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:45,400 extravagance. The act was so extravagant. 158 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:48,000 That's what Judas complaints about. 159 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:52,680 Judas knows how expensive it is, the spikenard that she had in 160 00:10:52,680 --> 00:10:57,040 her possession. This ointment, this perfume is 161 00:10:57,040 --> 00:11:02,480 worth a year's wages. It is extravagant. 162 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:08,760 A year's worth of wages for a day labourer. 163 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:14,320 If you take the average salary of somebody who makes the 164 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:17,760 minimum wage and you multiply it out in today's terms, that means 165 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:22,720 her perfume would have cost around $14,000 for that bottle. 166 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:26,040 It's not the most expensive perfume you can buy today. 167 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:30,000 I looked it up, it's $1.2 million. 168 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:32,320 Why did I do that? It's Mother's Day. 169 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:41,040 This perfume was a treasure. This perfume was expensive. 170 00:11:41,680 --> 00:11:47,560 This perfume was to be saved. But for Mary, there was no more 171 00:11:47,560 --> 00:11:51,600 significant woman. The only way she knew to truly 172 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:56,320 honor the Lord, to anoint him as he was being prepared for a 173 00:11:56,320 --> 00:11:57,280 death. He would die. 174 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:59,400 Something she, I believe deeply knew about. 175 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:04,800 This was the right thing to do. It was extravagant. 176 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:08,160 Judas took exception, and I believe the other disciples did 177 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:11,160 too. Extravagance. 178 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:16,640 Some might say it was generous, and I think you could only say 179 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:20,480 that if you have the right definition of generosity. 180 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:23,480 For many of us, we don't have the right definition of 181 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:28,400 generosity. Generosity is not something that 182 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:31,960 is defined by a distribution from an account. 183 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:37,240 Generosity is not defined by a distribution from an account, no 184 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:41,800 matter what that number is. Generosity is defined by a 185 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:45,760 disposition of the heart. It's defined by love. 186 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:50,480 In other words, you can give the largest gift you've ever given. 187 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:53,680 It might even shock you and not be generous. 188 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:57,120 You could be the lead giver for a capital campaign. 189 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:00,840 You could give in ways that people all around you celebrate 190 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:05,040 you and say you're so generous and not be generous because it's 191 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:14,240 not from a place of love. Mary is offering this 192 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:19,920 extravagant gift because of love, which moves us to the next 193 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:24,880 part, her love for Christ. It's not just shocking. 194 00:13:25,560 --> 00:13:30,240 Her expression and demonstration is not just extravagant, it's 195 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:33,200 fearless. To me, this was the most 196 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:37,280 significant part personally, and I honestly think it's the most 197 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:43,200 important part for us. I think when we think about 198 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:48,840 worshipping the Lord so often our eyes are not focused on the 199 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:51,400 feet of Christ. They're not focused on the 200 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:54,160 person of Christ. We're singing and saying things 201 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:57,480 about Christ, but our eyes are actually focused on the people 202 00:13:57,480 --> 00:14:01,400 around us. We are afraid of what they are 203 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:05,400 thinking about our worship. We're afraid if they think we 204 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:08,480 don't sing very well. We're afraid if they think we 205 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:11,560 aren't dressed appropriate. We're afraid if we don't know 206 00:14:11,560 --> 00:14:15,240 enough of the Bible. There's so much fear. 207 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:19,240 It's such a profound stronghold in this church and in churches 208 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:23,600 like this, where when we come to worship, it really is more of a 209 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:27,840 horizontal What are the people around me thinking? 210 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:34,800 Mary wasn't there. Mary had every reason, even 211 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:37,840 physical harm reason to be concerned about what people 212 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:40,720 thought. But she didn't. 213 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:45,120 She didn't care that Judas might say what he said. 214 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:48,960 She didn't care that her sister might say something. 215 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:56,640 She only cared about being obedient to expressing her love 216 00:14:56,640 --> 00:15:02,000 for the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing else mattered. 217 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:07,440 This is what made sense to her. Some have thought, well, maybe 218 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:10,240 it was just an impulsive decision. 219 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:14,120 It wasn't impulsive because they're not in her house. 220 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:16,280 They're at Simon the Leper's house. 221 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:19,240 This isn't Mary, who suddenly saw what was happening, felt 222 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:23,400 this flood of emotion and ran to her room, opened her drawer, 223 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:26,600 pulled out her perfume. This is something she brought 224 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,480 with her. This is something she felt led 225 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:35,040 to do and that which was inside her, leading her to do this was 226 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:39,040 the greatest joy of her heart that caused the fear of what 227 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:42,760 others might think to dissipate. That could happen to you. 228 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:48,920 You absolutely can enter this place and say I don't care what 229 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:56,080 anyone thinks and mean it because Mary was a human and so 230 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:58,400 are you. But I'm telling you, it's hard. 231 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:02,880 I know it's hard. So what was her motive? 232 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:07,840 If the ACT was shocking and the ACT was extravagant and the ACT 233 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:10,840 displayed this fearless love for the Lord, what was her 234 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:15,000 motivation? In a word, love. 235 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:19,040 That's it. Love. 236 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:23,840 She had been loved by the only perfect man. 237 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:29,040 Same man that loved her sister, loved her brother, love the 238 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:34,960 disciples, loves us. She had been loved perfectly and 239 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:41,000 that love LED her, motivated her, compelled her in the right 240 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:46,560 way to do what she did. What she did she did, because in 241 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:52,040 that moment that is the thing that made the most sense to her. 242 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:56,320 She loved him. What is the great commandment? 243 00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:02,160 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, body and soul, 244 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:06,319 in your neighbors, yourself. She is informing our love. 245 00:17:07,319 --> 00:17:11,119 Christ said the story will be told so that we could see 246 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:14,400 throughout history. He's worthy of that love and by 247 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:19,680 His grace and glory we can love in a shocking, extraordinary, 248 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:25,119 extravagant, fearless way. Her motive was love. 249 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:31,000 How do we see it? Well, it comes every time we see 250 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,280 her in the Gospels, and it has to do with her posture and her 251 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:36,440 position. Where is Mary at? 252 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:42,080 Always in the Gospels. Say it with me at the feet of 253 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:44,600 Jesus. Say that again, one more time at 254 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:47,640 the feet of Jesus. By the way, I didn't have the 255 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:52,040 8:00 service do that or the 9:30, but I feel free at the 256 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:59,640 feet of Jesus. She's at dinner in her home and 257 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:05,160 Martha's there. Martha is stressed out. 258 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:11,440 She's accusatory, she's bitter. She's expressing all of this to 259 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:17,480 Jesus because Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus and what is 260 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:22,080 she doing there? She's listening to Him and she's 261 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:26,040 learning. Listening to Him and learning 262 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:29,480 about Him will lead to love for Him. 263 00:18:30,360 --> 00:18:35,400 If your goal isn't just knowledge, you can have a lot of 264 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:37,160 knowledge of Christ and not love Him. 265 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:39,760 You can have a lot of knowledge of God and not love Him. 266 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:41,600 That's the Pharisees, the Sadducees. 267 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:48,920 She was sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening and learning. 268 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:53,120 I want to encourage you if you tend to be more of a Martha than 269 00:18:53,120 --> 00:18:57,520 a Mary. In John's account, near the end 270 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:01,680 of Christ, earthly walk upon the earth, what's Martha doing? 271 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:06,000 She's serving. What does Jesus? 272 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:09,520 What does Jesus say to her? There's no rebuke. 273 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:15,520 Serving is not the issue. Serving was an issue because 274 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:17,800 Martha was complaining and upset about many things. 275 00:19:18,120 --> 00:19:21,680 But in John's account later in the life of Martha, she has 276 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:25,440 learned she's using her gifts to serve the Lord. 277 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:28,000 It's really beautiful and easy to miss. 278 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:36,240 But Jesus in the count and Luke says to Martha, Mary has chosen 279 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:39,840 the better portion, and this is not going to be taken from her. 280 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:46,520 And it's not from the posture of sitting at the feet of Jesus, of 281 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:50,240 listening and learning. Mary understood what was 282 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:53,360 happening. Jesus had said many times over 283 00:19:53,360 --> 00:19:57,480 the years, I'm going up to Jerusalem. 284 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:03,200 I am going to be crucified. I'm going to rise. 285 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:07,760 But the disciples didn't get it. Time and time again, we see that 286 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:12,320 they just aren't getting it. But Mary did, and in this 287 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:17,600 moment, at this dinner, she is bringing this expensive, 288 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:21,640 extravagant gift to Christ. To prepare his body for 289 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:23,800 something she knows is about to happen. 290 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:28,640 She listened to him and she learned. 291 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:31,560 The next time we see Martha, I'm sorry. 292 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:34,760 Marry at the feet of Jesus was just the chapter before. 293 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:39,280 It's when Jesus delayed in coming to see Lazarus. 294 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:41,840 He's now been dead and in the tomb for four days. 295 00:20:42,120 --> 00:20:45,240 Martha comes to see Jesus first. If you've been here, my brother 296 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:47,080 would not have died. But I still know that whatever 297 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:48,160 you ask, the Father will give you. 298 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:52,400 Mary doesn't say as many words, but John makes it clear. 299 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:58,640 Mary was at the feet of Jesus, the same place where she had 300 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:03,720 been listening and learning. Now Mary is present, lamenting. 301 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:08,160 She's lamenting the death of her brother Jesus. 302 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:10,160 If you'd been here, my brother would not have died. 303 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:15,000 She weeps, her friends weep. And then Jesus weeps. 304 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:23,720 Mary learned to love Christ fearlessly, with extravagance, 305 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:29,480 in a shocking way, by sitting at his feet, listening, learning, 306 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:32,800 lamenting. And now she sits at his feet 307 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:39,080 again, loving him, taking her very hair and the expensive 308 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:44,960 perfume and wiping his feet, the very feet that will soon be 309 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:49,040 nailed to the cross, as Matthew's Gospel tells it. 310 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,480 And marks. She also anointed the head of 311 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:55,720 Christ with the same nard, the same ointment. 312 00:21:57,040 --> 00:22:00,520 The ACT was shocking, extravagant, fearless, The 313 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:04,800 motivation, love, love born out of being at the feet of Jesus, 314 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:09,480 listening, learning, lamenting. So what was the response? 315 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:16,800 First response, Condemnation. It comes from Judas. 316 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:21,320 Look with me at verse 4. But Judas Iscariot, one of his 317 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:25,800 disciples, he who was about to betray him, said, why was this 318 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:29,920 ointment not sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor? 319 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:33,600 John tells us, looking back, he said this not because he cared 320 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:36,360 about the poor, but because he was a thief, having charge of 321 00:22:36,360 --> 00:22:39,440 the money bag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 322 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:44,560 Judas objects, he condemns. By the way, these are the first 323 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:51,960 words of Judas in the Gospel. Why wasn't this money, this 324 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:54,120 perfume, sold and given to the poor? 325 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:57,040 Judas doesn't care about the money. 326 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:06,640 He condemns the ACT because in that moment what Mary was doing, 327 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:10,320 that which made sense to her, made no sense to him. 328 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:16,920 He did not have love for Christ. Sadly, Judas is going to betray 329 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:20,840 Jesus. He's going to do it for 120 330 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:26,520 denarii. Basically 2 1/2 times less than 331 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:29,880 what Mary would pour out on the feet of Christ. 332 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:36,200 So sad. Judas condemns, Mary wasn't 333 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:39,840 worried about his condemnation. She wasn't worried about any of 334 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:41,200 those people and what they thought. 335 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:43,760 She was fearless in her love for Christ. 336 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:49,000 He condemns, but then there's the next response and it comes 337 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:51,600 from Jesus. It's a swift response. 338 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:59,160 And verse 7 Jesus said leave her alone so that she may keep it 339 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:03,840 for the day of my burial. Leave her alone in Matthew and 340 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:08,640 Mark's gospel says what she has done for me in preparing my body 341 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:16,080 for burial is a beautiful thing. And then he goes on to say it 342 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:19,240 will be spoken of and this whole wide world and you were the 343 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:24,040 gospel was proclaimed. Jesus affirms her first he 344 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:27,760 receives the gift. If it was inappropriate, he 345 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:30,400 would have rebuked her himself. But he receives it. 346 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:33,600 Then he rebukes Judas and the other disciples if they felt the 347 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:35,840 same way. And what I don't want you to 348 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:41,480 miss is this woman who's just like you and me, a Sinner in 349 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:45,840 need of a Saviour, brings worship and praise and adoration 350 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:50,240 to the Lord that causes him to delight. 351 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:59,920 That's beautiful. But there's one other response 352 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:03,880 and I'm going to call it continuation. 353 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:10,000 There's condemnation, there is affirmation, and there's 354 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:16,200 continuation. When Mary took the perfume and 355 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:20,680 broke it and poured it on the hair of Christ's head, and then 356 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:24,840 poured it on his feet and untied her hair and begin to wipe his 357 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:28,160 feet. At first the fragrance of that 358 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:31,360 perfume would have just moved through the house, overwhelming 359 00:25:31,360 --> 00:25:36,040 at any other scent. But at some point that which was 360 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:39,440 in the air would dissipate. But it wasn't just in the air. 361 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:46,120 This ointment was sticking to the hair of Jesus and to the 362 00:25:46,120 --> 00:25:49,560 hair of Mary. I don't know if this happened, 363 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:52,760 but it's possible because it wasn't many days after this when 364 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:55,480 Jesus had the crown of thorns placed on his head. 365 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:58,160 It's very possible that those placing it there could have 366 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:02,840 smelled this nard remnants of it could still exist. 367 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:06,800 But think of this. The woman who is wiping his 368 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:10,400 hair, her his feet with her hair now has that perfume in her 369 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:13,040 hair. And as she stands up, I'm sure 370 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:15,200 begins to help her sister Martha serve. 371 00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:20,800 Everywhere she went, that fragrance went with her. 372 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:29,080 It was a continuation of this extravagant gift, but it was 373 00:26:29,120 --> 00:26:37,240 also a continuation in that this story continues to be told by 374 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:42,480 John the Gospel writer by this church, 2000 plus years later, 375 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:49,080 believing in the Word of God, taking in John 12, being shown 376 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:54,240 again that Jesus alone is worthy of our praise, but He is worthy 377 00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:59,680 of it, and that by his grace and for His glory we can bring him 378 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:05,400 praise that might shock the world, that might be so 379 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:12,240 extravagant and so fearless. Jack Miller, who was a professor 380 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:17,920 at Westminster Seminary for a long time, would often ask 381 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:24,600 students, when is the last time you did something just because 382 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:31,160 you love Jesus? Today's Mother's Day, and if 383 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:36,280 you're just now realizing that there are places ready for you 384 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:41,480 at the front of the doors to buy a card or flowers, moms should 385 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:44,320 rightly expect their children and grandchildren to say 386 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:47,600 something, to give something. It's expected, it's Mother's 387 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:53,640 Day, but there's another section in the card section at the store 388 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:58,200 just because. So maybe a month from now or six 389 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:02,800 months from now, buy a card or write a note or just tell 390 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:10,400 someone you love them. Just because Jesus Christ made 391 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:16,080 us to be worshippers that would worship Him without fear of man, 392 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:20,040 that would not be held back by the wonder of what others might 393 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:23,240 think. He has given us the ability 394 00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:27,280 through sitting at His feet, listening and learning to 395 00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:30,280 worship Him with extravagance because He's worth it. 396 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:36,800 How do we get there? This is when a sermon like this 397 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:41,760 becomes dangerous, maybe because of what I'm about to say, but 398 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:45,240 also because of something that might be heard in a way it's not 399 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:51,160 meant the goal. And this passage is not for you 400 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:54,840 and I to leave and say I need to be more like Mary. 401 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:57,000 I'm going to become more like Mary. 402 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:02,480 Yet it is the goal. Because if it wasn't, Jesus 403 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:06,040 wouldn't have said wherever the gospel is preached, this story 404 00:29:06,040 --> 00:29:10,640 is going to be told. And he adds to that in honour of 405 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:16,560 her. Not in praise of her, but in 406 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:17,880 honor of her. Why? 407 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:27,760 Because she was showing us how to honor him in the only way. 408 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:33,120 You and I will ever honor him. That way is if we become like 409 00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:38,120 Mary, not so much with an expensive bottle of perfume, but 410 00:29:38,120 --> 00:29:47,080 in a constant posture of sitting at His feet, listening and 411 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:56,680 learning, lamenting the broken world and rising to show Him our 412 00:29:56,680 --> 00:30:02,600 affection in love. Jesus delighted in what Mary 413 00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:05,960 did. He rebuked the one who condemned 414 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:08,960 it. He affirmed it, and it 415 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:13,160 continues. So here's my question for you. 416 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:18,760 Most Sundays when you leave here, if those you are around 417 00:30:18,760 --> 00:30:21,840 have an appetite to talk about what was experienced in the 418 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:25,160 service, my guess is it goes something like this. 419 00:30:25,640 --> 00:30:31,640 What did you think about the sermon or what did you think 420 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:35,360 about the music? I want to encourage you that 421 00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:42,880 those questions are OK, but the more important question is what 422 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:49,880 Christ think of your worship? What did he think about the way 423 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:53,680 you prepared to come? What did he think about the way 424 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:55,840 which you confessed even in the middle of the service? 425 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:59,760 I'm so distracted. When the offering plate. 426 00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:08,400 Passes and you think what's enough friends most. 427 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:12,480 Of the time in. A community like ours, we're. 428 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:16,160 Conditioned to think of. Worship even as a consumer. 429 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:20,560 Did I like the music? Did I like the sermon? 430 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:24,400 Did I like the people around me? Did I like? 431 00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:25,520 Did I like? Did I like? 432 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:29,400 Mary wasn't entering that place as a consumer. 433 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:31,800 Some of you, that's not your issue. 434 00:31:32,080 --> 00:31:34,040 Yours is different, but it's also serious. 435 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:36,240 You actually see yourself as a critic. 436 00:31:37,280 --> 00:31:38,680 You're here. To evaluate. 437 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:43,240 Now, don't hear me wrong, we need to listen carefully to what 438 00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:46,720 is being taught. But for many people, they 439 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:49,000 probably have a little more Judas in them than they realize, 440 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:51,680 and they see it as their position really to just kind of 441 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:54,640 give an analysis, almost like a food critic. 442 00:31:57,160 --> 00:31:58,520 That's not what. Your role is. 443 00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:02,280 Many more people just act like they're part of a crowd at a 444 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:08,480 concert or a movie. If you are in Christ and you. 445 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:13,160 Were a worshiper of. Christ, you are never the 446 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:15,640 audience. Ever. 447 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:22,600 The audience is Him. You and I are the actors filled 448 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:30,640 with the Spirit to love Him the way our dear sister Mary loved 449 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:37,080 Him. She did what made sense to her 450 00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:40,920 from sitting at His feet. She loved him. 451 00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:47,760 It begins at his. Feet it. 452 00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:52,440 Stays at his feet. The feet of the very one who 453 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:56,640 died for us. She did what made sense to. 454 00:32:56,640 --> 00:33:00,200 Her. But so did Judas. 455 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:07,120 Father in heaven, we. Are so desperate. 456 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:10,320 To listen and learn the way Mary did. 457 00:33:11,480 --> 00:33:13,800 And Father, even that act in and of itself. 458 00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:15,840 We don't know the power to do so. 459 00:33:15,840 --> 00:33:18,360 Take us there. Give. 460 00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:22,560 Us eyes to see. And ears to listen and then 461 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:25,560 cause us to rise up with an affection for you that would 462 00:33:25,560 --> 00:33:31,120 cause you to delight in what you are doing in US. 463 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:37,360 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your grace, for your mercy, for your 464 00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:40,640 provision, the promise to set us free. 465 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:46,240 And Lord, would you, I ask, and I beg you, please cause the 466 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:56,640 opinion of man to grow strangely dim in the light of your glory 467 00:33:56,640 --> 00:34:04,040 and grace. Turn our eyes upon Jesus and 468 00:34:04,040 --> 00:34:06,800 whose name we pray. Amen. 469 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:07,920 Please stand.