1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,200 It is wonderful to be here. With all of you, we have a 2 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:07,600 wonderful crowd. We have visitors that are among 3 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:10,600 us and we want you to feel as you are and that truly is our 4 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:14,200 honored guest and we say welcome, I'm thankful to be able 5 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:15,800 to be here. I'm very honored to be your 6 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,300 speaker and I hope and pray that what we have to consider for a 7 00:00:19,308 --> 00:00:22,500 little while this morning would be edifying and encouraging to 8 00:00:22,500 --> 00:00:26,200 you from the word of God as an introduction. 9 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:29,100 I want to say two things. Number one, I want to give you 10 00:00:29,100 --> 00:00:30,800 the objective. Of of our lesson. 11 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:33,800 As you can see, on the screen, the title of our lesson is 12 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:39,100 serving God without restraint. So the objective of our lesson 13 00:00:39,100 --> 00:00:43,500 this morning is this I want to do my very best to show the 14 00:00:43,500 --> 00:00:47,400 importance of serving God without restraint through 15 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:50,100 corporate worship. What does that mean? 16 00:00:50,100 --> 00:00:54,000 Corporate worship. What I mean by that is exactly 17 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:57,700 what we're doing right now. We come together in one body in 18 00:00:57,700 --> 00:01:00,000 the assembly, for the purpose of serving. 19 00:01:00,100 --> 00:01:03,100 Irving God, for the purpose of worshipping God, as our brother 20 00:01:03,100 --> 00:01:07,900 prayed already in spirit. And in truth, please understand 21 00:01:07,900 --> 00:01:10,800 that as we've assembled here, collectively, as the body of 22 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:15,000 Christ today in this assembly, understand number one. 23 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:18,200 God is the recipient of our worship. 24 00:01:18,700 --> 00:01:22,000 Number two, God is The Spectator. 25 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,500 Not us. And number three, we are the 26 00:01:25,500 --> 00:01:30,400 participants And we're here to put our all together and worship 27 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:33,100 god with everything we've got in spirit. 28 00:01:33,100 --> 00:01:36,100 And in truth, I want to talk about the importance of doing 29 00:01:36,100 --> 00:01:39,400 that today. Now here is the reason for the 30 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:43,800 lesson A sister texted me about some passengers found in second 31 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,400 Chronicles chapter 6 and she requested that I perhaps preach 32 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,400 on this subject based upon those passages. 33 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,900 Second Chronicles chapter 6, please do not turn to 2nd 34 00:01:53,900 --> 00:01:57,300 Chronicles chapter 6. I'm going to narrate a few 35 00:01:57,300 --> 00:01:59,800 things, but I'm going to ask you to do this in your own time. 36 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,400 Please read second Chronicles, chapter 6. 37 00:02:03,100 --> 00:02:06,100 It's an amazing prayer and it was an amazing prayer. 38 00:02:06,100 --> 00:02:09,600 That was Prayed by a great king. And his name was King Solomon, 39 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:13,400 King Solomon was one of the wisest man that ever lived. 40 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:15,500 Why do I say one of the wisest men? 41 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,300 The Bible describes him as the wisest man. 42 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:23,700 Well, when you say wise, man I got to give all the boats as my 43 00:02:23,700 --> 00:02:26,900 dad would say, to Jesus Christ. Jesus were second to No One. 44 00:02:27,500 --> 00:02:29,800 Jesus was God. The son on Earth. 45 00:02:30,100 --> 00:02:34,300 Jesus was deity. Jesus was everything he had the 46 00:02:34,300 --> 00:02:37,200 Holy Spirit without measure as he lived on this Earth. 47 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,000 Jesus gets all the votes he had to be the wisest so the second 48 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,900 wisest let's just give her to someone, okay? 49 00:02:43,900 --> 00:02:46,900 King Solomon, when he prayed a very special prayer and second 50 00:02:46,900 --> 00:02:51,100 Chronicles chapter 6, it was a prayer of dedication for the new 51 00:02:51,100 --> 00:02:55,100 Temple. And the Bible says this, he 52 00:02:55,100 --> 00:03:00,300 bounces down before the altar. He lifts his hands up toward the 53 00:03:00,300 --> 00:03:04,500 heavens and he prayed a prayer that was amazing out loud in the 54 00:03:04,500 --> 00:03:08,900 presence of all the assembling You know, if you read that 55 00:03:08,900 --> 00:03:11,700 prayer and when you do that later, read that prayer, please 56 00:03:11,700 --> 00:03:14,500 understand that I think Solomon understood something very 57 00:03:14,500 --> 00:03:17,400 important. I think Solomon understood, the 58 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:21,900 importance of God's people being united in corporate worship and 59 00:03:21,900 --> 00:03:25,200 not just on their own. I know there's a lot of folks 60 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:28,500 today that think they can do it on their own Solomon, understood 61 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,500 that God's people must be United together in corporate worship. 62 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:35,500 Okay. In second Chronicles chapter 7, 63 00:03:35,500 --> 00:03:37,500 a little later on, we're going to find something very 64 00:03:37,500 --> 00:03:38,300 interesting. Resting. 65 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:40,700 We're going to find God's response to that prayer. 66 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:44,300 We're going to find God's response to the prayer that 67 00:03:44,300 --> 00:03:49,400 Solomon made a long time ago and God's acceptance of the temple. 68 00:03:50,100 --> 00:03:54,800 Before God responded notice, please notice what happened. 69 00:03:55,500 --> 00:03:58,500 When Solomon had finished praying fire came down from 70 00:03:58,500 --> 00:04:02,500 heaven and consumed the burnt offering and sacrifices get this 71 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:06,500 and the glory of the Lord filled the temple and the priests could 72 00:04:06,500 --> 00:04:09,100 not enter the house of the Because the glory of the Lord 73 00:04:09,100 --> 00:04:12,900 had filled the Lord's House. When all the children of Israel 74 00:04:12,900 --> 00:04:16,000 saw how fire came down and the glory of the Lord, on the 75 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,600 temple. They bowed their faces to the 76 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:22,900 ground to the pavement and worship and praise the Lord 77 00:04:22,900 --> 00:04:26,900 saying for he is good for his Mercy, endures forever. 78 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,800 I want you to get that. When the people recognize the 79 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:33,600 glory of God, they were so overwhelmed. 80 00:04:34,100 --> 00:04:35,900 They bowed their faces to the ground. 81 00:04:35,900 --> 00:04:39,300 They put their faces to the pavement and they worship god 82 00:04:39,500 --> 00:04:45,600 without restraint. What an amazing concept. 83 00:04:46,100 --> 00:04:49,900 They worshipped him without restraint. 84 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:53,200 You know, in like manner. I think when we hear about what 85 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:57,900 God has done for us, When we hear about the grace of God and 86 00:04:57,900 --> 00:05:01,200 the mercy of God, we talked about that recently, by the way. 87 00:05:02,300 --> 00:05:05,100 God's grace, is God. Giving us what we don't deserve 88 00:05:05,100 --> 00:05:09,300 that salvation. God's Mercy is God not giving us 89 00:05:09,300 --> 00:05:13,200 what we do deserve and that's to be lost when we read in the 90 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:17,000 scriptures about what God has done for us and a very familiar 91 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:19,400 passage that everybody in the world knows for God. 92 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:21,900 So loved the world that he gave his only begotten, son, that 93 00:05:21,900 --> 00:05:24,600 whoever believes in him, should not perish, but have everlasting 94 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:27,800 life. When we read passages like that, 95 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:32,000 and we understand that shouldn't it cause us to want to worship 96 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,900 and serve him for the rest of our life without restraint, too. 97 00:05:36,700 --> 00:05:38,700 It should cause us to want to serve him. 98 00:05:39,900 --> 00:05:43,400 Without restraint, okay, I think today when people hear the 99 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:46,200 preaching of the Gospel, I really believe that there's 100 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:49,200 three responses and you might be surprised at the responses, but 101 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:51,100 stay with me. I promise I'm going to clarify, 102 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:53,900 there are three responses to the preaching of the Gospel that 103 00:05:53,900 --> 00:05:56,800 people have. I think today, Here they are 104 00:05:57,700 --> 00:06:00,000 some hate. Some love. 105 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:05,000 And some pretend that's the three responses to the preaching 106 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:12,200 of the Gospel, some hate, some love, some pretend, now we all 107 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:14,600 know what pretend is, so I'm not going to spend a lot of time on 108 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:16,000 pretend today. We get that. 109 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:17,700 That's the person. That's faking it, right? 110 00:06:17,700 --> 00:06:19,700 We get it. So I'm not going to spend a 111 00:06:19,700 --> 00:06:21,700 whole lot of time that can lock and spend any time on that we 112 00:06:21,700 --> 00:06:24,100 already understand that. What I want to do is I want to 113 00:06:24,100 --> 00:06:26,200 talk about. What does it mean to hate? 114 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,500 And we'll spend a little time on that, but we're going to spend 115 00:06:29,500 --> 00:06:32,200 the majority of our time on. What does it mean to love? 116 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,200 And when I say love, I'm talking about love for God, these are 117 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,700 three responses that people have in the preaching of the gospel 118 00:06:39,700 --> 00:06:41,600 and it's nothing new. Let me show you what I mean by 119 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:45,500 that, going all the way back when Jesus Was preparing to die 120 00:06:45,500 --> 00:06:48,600 on the cross. There were three responses to 121 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:55,300 that preparation, one hated one loved and one pretended three 122 00:06:55,300 --> 00:07:00,700 responses Being new okay. In Matthew chapter 26, beginning 123 00:07:00,700 --> 00:07:05,700 in verse 1. Now it came to pass when Jesus 124 00:07:06,100 --> 00:07:10,900 had finished all these things that he said to his disciples, 125 00:07:10,900 --> 00:07:15,200 you know, that after two days is the Passover, and the son of man 126 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:17,900 will be delivered up to be crucified. 127 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,600 First of all, let me say you cannot have Christianity without 128 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,600 the Cross of Christ, it is the very focal point of everything, 129 00:07:24,700 --> 00:07:27,100 right? Do you know when Paul says, I 130 00:07:27,100 --> 00:07:31,000 determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him 131 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:32,600 crucified? Remember that. 132 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:36,100 You know, Paul wasn't saying, I'm never going to preach on a 133 00:07:36,100 --> 00:07:38,400 different subject matter than Jesus Christ. 134 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:42,000 And him crucified, what he was saying is Jesus Christ. 135 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:46,100 And him crucified is the very epitome of Redemptive truth. 136 00:07:46,100 --> 00:07:49,800 It's the basis for everything without the Cross of Christ, by 137 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:53,100 the way, nothing in the world matters. 138 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:59,200 Nothing and there is no hope it is all based upon that. 139 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:04,700 So in Matthew chapter 26, as This Was preparing for that, 140 00:08:04,700 --> 00:08:08,200 great event to die on the cross. There were three people that had 141 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:11,500 three distinct roles in that preparation three responses, 142 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:15,300 three elements, three perspectives here, they were 143 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:18,200 number one. There was hateful, rejection 144 00:08:18,500 --> 00:08:22,300 number two, there was loving worship and number three, there 145 00:08:22,300 --> 00:08:25,000 was betraying hypocrisy. Okay, remember what I said, 146 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:27,400 nothing new people hear the gospel today. 147 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:32,799 Some hate some love, some pretend, all right. 148 00:08:33,299 --> 00:08:36,299 Three responses still exist. Today, I'm going to talk first. 149 00:08:36,299 --> 00:08:38,600 Talk about an example of hateful rejection. 150 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,100 We might think, you know, we would never be guilty of that. 151 00:08:42,100 --> 00:08:44,400 I mean awful thing, wouldn't it hateful, rejection? 152 00:08:44,500 --> 00:08:50,400 Matthew 26 and verse 3. Then the chief priests the 153 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:53,400 scribes and the Elders of the people assembled at the palace 154 00:08:53,700 --> 00:08:58,000 of the high priest who was called, Caiaphas when they met 155 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:00,300 their, they had one thing in mind and that's verse for the 156 00:09:00,300 --> 00:09:04,800 very next verse notice verse 4 says this, they plotted to take 157 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,700 Jesus by trickery and kill him, okay? 158 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:11,000 One thing in mind they got together. 159 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:15,300 Caiaphas that evil crumb that he was got the people together for 160 00:09:15,300 --> 00:09:18,000 one purpose. We got to do away with Jesus 161 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:22,600 Christ and we're going to do. So by trickery, by the way, the 162 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:26,200 very next verse, this is verse for verse 5 says they didn't 163 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:28,800 want to do it right away. They didn't want to, they wanted 164 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:31,400 to wait until after the feast and that's the Feast of the 165 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:33,800 Passover. So I think there's an 166 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:37,800 interesting side point here. They wanted to wait eight days. 167 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,000 Why? Because they thought there'd be 168 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,100 an uprising among the people. If they crucified Jesus during 169 00:09:43,100 --> 00:09:46,700 the feast, what did God say? God says know. 170 00:09:46,700 --> 00:09:48,400 It's going to happen in two days. 171 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:54,800 What man meant for evil. God meant for good. 172 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,800 Man's plan was eight days, man's not going to win. 173 00:10:00,900 --> 00:10:04,900 God's plan was to days, and God always wins. 174 00:10:05,300 --> 00:10:09,000 And by the way, let me just also add, let me just add this. 175 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:12,000 When you think about God's plans of what God does. 176 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:16,000 In all the things that God does in our life, we can have all the 177 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:17,700 plans that we think that we want. 178 00:10:18,700 --> 00:10:20,900 We can have all the plans that we think, we could think that 179 00:10:20,900 --> 00:10:22,900 we're going to plan our day. We're going to do all of this, 180 00:10:22,900 --> 00:10:24,300 but the Bible is very clear about that. 181 00:10:24,300 --> 00:10:25,800 We should say, wait a minute. What? 182 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:28,700 When you're making your plan, say, the very important words. 183 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:32,500 If it be God's will, you know why? 184 00:10:32,500 --> 00:10:35,000 Because God will always win, okay? 185 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:39,700 Caiaphas and their plans of a man of man's plans was we got a 186 00:10:39,708 --> 00:10:41,800 crucified Jesus, we're going to get it done about eight days. 187 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:44,400 We do so by trickery and we talked about Caiaphas for just a 188 00:10:44,408 --> 00:10:46,700 moment. Caiaphas was threatened. 189 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:49,900 Caiaphas was insecure a Ittle bit about Caiaphas back, 190 00:10:49,900 --> 00:10:53,100 Caiaphas is background the famous historian. 191 00:10:53,100 --> 00:10:58,100 Josephus, says that his real name was Joseph Caiaphas and he 192 00:10:58,100 --> 00:11:02,700 described him as cunning treacherous Wicked and 193 00:11:02,700 --> 00:11:06,200 deceitful. And by the way, every time 194 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:09,200 Caiaphas is described in the Bible, he has only one role and 195 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:13,700 that's getting rid of Jesus. He's either planning it or he's 196 00:11:13,700 --> 00:11:17,000 executing it. That was his one role that we 197 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:20,300 read about in the New Testament. One scholar said, you know, he 198 00:11:20,300 --> 00:11:23,500 really bought his way into the position of high priest. 199 00:11:23,500 --> 00:11:27,100 You know, why he marries the daughter of his predecessor? 200 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:29,400 He marries the daughter of anise. 201 00:11:29,700 --> 00:11:32,300 Now, interestingly about anise. There's a lot I could say about 202 00:11:32,300 --> 00:11:33,300 him. I'm not going to do it on a 203 00:11:33,308 --> 00:11:36,900 time, but Ernest was high priest, by the way, historians, 204 00:11:36,900 --> 00:11:41,700 tell us from six ad until the year 1500 ad. 205 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:45,700 Okay. His successor, Caiaphas comes on 206 00:11:45,700 --> 00:11:49,600 the scene marrying, his daughter and now he's high priest from a 207 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:54,900 D15 to a d 37. That's 22 years and you might 208 00:11:54,900 --> 00:11:57,100 think, man, what's the big deal preacher? 209 00:11:57,900 --> 00:12:03,200 I'll tell you Caiaphas must have been quite the politician to be 210 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:06,900 able to coexist with Rome for 22 years and this is what I mean. 211 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:10,700 Historically speaking in the Hundred Years surrounding the 212 00:12:10,700 --> 00:12:15,500 life of Jesus Christ, okay, there were 28 high priest. 213 00:12:16,500 --> 00:12:20,100 Caiaphas was high priest by himself for 22 of those years. 214 00:12:22,300 --> 00:12:26,300 Interestingly you might be interested to hear the successor 215 00:12:26,300 --> 00:12:28,700 to Caiaphas that took on the scene as high priest. 216 00:12:28,700 --> 00:12:34,800 After Caiaphas, you know how long he lasted 50 days, quite 217 00:12:34,900 --> 00:12:40,400 the politician. This man Caiaphas was buying his 218 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:43,700 way in Mary, the daughter of and is now he's got more power than 219 00:12:43,700 --> 00:12:45,400 anyone else and he wants to get rid of Jesus. 220 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:47,500 Now folks, I'm going to tell you this is hateful, rejection. 221 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:51,900 We give you an example though. Do you remember when Jesus 222 00:12:51,900 --> 00:12:56,000 raised Lazarus from the dead? An amazing story when Jesus 223 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,400 raised Lazarus from the dead, okay? 224 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:04,400 Now I'm going to say this Caiaphas knew and believed that 225 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:06,800 Jesus actually raised him from the dead. 226 00:13:06,900 --> 00:13:10,900 He believed that Now, it's one thing for somebody to reject 227 00:13:10,900 --> 00:13:13,200 something because you don't have the evidence. 228 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:16,000 We can understand that. In other words, somebody rejects 229 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:19,600 an idea or rejects an ocean because they don't have evidence 230 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:21,200 or they don't have enough evidence. 231 00:13:21,300 --> 00:13:23,300 We can understand that at least, right? 232 00:13:24,100 --> 00:13:27,000 We can also understand that somebody might reject something 233 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:31,000 because they have the evidence but they don't believe it. 234 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:34,600 And by the way, the Bible is evidence. 235 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:39,700 The Bible is factual evidence and whether you and I believe it 236 00:13:39,700 --> 00:13:42,300 or not is irrelevant to whether it's true or not. 237 00:13:42,300 --> 00:13:45,700 It is true. But at least we can understand 238 00:13:45,700 --> 00:13:50,000 in our mind, if somebody rejects it because they don't believe it 239 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:54,800 it's wrong, but we can understand It's still another 240 00:13:54,800 --> 00:14:01,000 thing though, to have the evidence in full view to believe 241 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:04,500 the evidence completely and still reject it. 242 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:11,200 That is what Caiaphas did? That is hateful, rejection, that 243 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:14,200 is willful ignorance. Do you remember what Caiaphas 244 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:16,400 said than two? We got to do away with Jesus. 245 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:20,000 He's going to bring in this Jesus movement. 246 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:22,200 He's going to get in the way. We got to do something about it. 247 00:14:22,208 --> 00:14:24,900 You know what he said? I love this because he had no 248 00:14:24,900 --> 00:14:27,000 idea what he was saying, is no clue. 249 00:14:27,100 --> 00:14:31,000 But again, God's winning here. Remember what ky4 said? 250 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:35,700 It's better that one man dies. And a nation be spared. 251 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:39,200 What you thought was is what he thought he was saying. 252 00:14:40,100 --> 00:14:42,800 It's better that we get rid of Jesus and the nation of Israel, 253 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:47,500 be spared and our former sense of values and our former sense, 254 00:14:47,500 --> 00:14:51,100 of lifestyle and religion, is intact, we just got to get rid 255 00:14:51,100 --> 00:14:52,800 of Jesus. That's what he thought he was 256 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:56,400 saying, but being high priest that year, he didn't realize 257 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:58,900 what he really were saying prophetically, and what God 258 00:14:58,900 --> 00:15:00,600 wanted him to say. It's better. 259 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:05,600 That one man dies on the cross, please get this And the rest of 260 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:12,100 us can be spared. He had no idea what he was 261 00:15:12,100 --> 00:15:18,500 saying. Again, God wins Caiaphas it's 262 00:15:18,500 --> 00:15:21,100 hateful rejection. All right, we get that. 263 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:25,500 But the question is this, How does one hate the Lord today? 264 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:27,500 I mean, nobody's going to say I hate Jesus. 265 00:15:27,500 --> 00:15:29,600 Nobody says that right? How is where you going to hate 266 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:30,800 the Lord today? Here it is. 267 00:15:32,700 --> 00:15:36,100 Deny him. Ignore him. 268 00:15:37,300 --> 00:15:42,400 And reject him. If you deny him, ignore him and 269 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:46,200 reject him. You hate him. 270 00:15:48,700 --> 00:15:53,000 How do you deny him, how do you ignore him, how do you reject 271 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:56,200 him? Very simple, you deny him, when 272 00:15:56,200 --> 00:16:00,900 you deny his word, You ignore him when you ignore his 273 00:16:00,900 --> 00:16:04,400 teachings. You reject him when you reject 274 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:08,600 his Commandments. Those are the epitome of things 275 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:10,700 of that, the Bible describes as hate. 276 00:16:10,700 --> 00:16:13,300 How do I know that? I'm going to go back and quote, 277 00:16:13,300 --> 00:16:16,000 the greatest one ever. I'm a name, drop here, I'ma call 278 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:19,600 out Jesus. What did Jesus say about this? 279 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:20,900 So I didn't just come up with this. 280 00:16:21,300 --> 00:16:27,100 Jesus said, if you love me what, keep my Commandments. 281 00:16:27,900 --> 00:16:31,500 He also said this, if you love me, keep my words. 282 00:16:31,700 --> 00:16:34,800 And if you keep my Commandments, you will what you will abide in 283 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,800 my love, as I can. My father's Commandments and 284 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:41,400 abide in his love. So if we say that, we love 285 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:46,000 Jesus, let's not deny him. Let's not exhort and ignore him, 286 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:50,700 let's not reject him. Okay, enough of that, let's talk 287 00:16:50,700 --> 00:16:54,400 about a better response to Jesus Christ and the cross. 288 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:57,500 And that is this because Caiaphas was all about hateful 289 00:16:57,500 --> 00:16:59,200 rejection. But here's another one, it's 290 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:01,800 about loving worship. Please get this. 291 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:06,000 It is about loving worship. We go to Matthew 26. 292 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:10,599 In verse 6 there. And when Jesus was in Bethany at 293 00:17:10,599 --> 00:17:14,500 the house of Simon the leper, now let's back up just a little 294 00:17:14,500 --> 00:17:18,300 bit. We're now going back to Saturday 295 00:17:18,700 --> 00:17:22,099 before his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, which I do believe. 296 00:17:22,099 --> 00:17:25,300 You heard me preach on this. Not going into this today, but I 297 00:17:25,300 --> 00:17:29,800 do believe that was on Sunday. And on Saturday at the house of 298 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:33,200 Simon the leper Jesus was over at the house to some dear 299 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:36,000 friends, Mary, Martha and Lazarus. 300 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:39,200 Remember that his dear friends by the way, that's the same 301 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:42,000 Lazarus that Jesus raised from the dead that I just mentioned a 302 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:46,500 moment ago. Okay, so Jesus is over there and 303 00:17:46,500 --> 00:17:49,300 Simon the leper, invites him over to his house. 304 00:17:49,900 --> 00:17:51,900 Interesting about Simon the leper. 305 00:17:53,100 --> 00:17:57,500 Simon the leper was a man that had leprosy, but obviously Simon 306 00:17:57,500 --> 00:18:00,800 the leper did not have leprosy at the time of this Gathering. 307 00:18:01,300 --> 00:18:03,000 You know why? Because nobody would have been 308 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:05,400 there. Nobody would have gone to Simon 309 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:10,600 the lepers house at this time. If he, if he currently had 310 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:14,400 leprosy, I think he's called Simon the leper for another 311 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:17,100 reason too. I think it's to emphasize that 312 00:18:17,100 --> 00:18:20,400 that was the man that was described as the leper and Jesus 313 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:22,000 healed him. I think that's important too. 314 00:18:22,100 --> 00:18:24,600 Okay. So they're invited over to Simon 315 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:29,900 the lepers house on this Saturday, for this great event. 316 00:18:30,300 --> 00:18:33,800 We also find Mary Martha and Lazarus are also invited and 317 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:38,400 also the 12 apostles, furthermore, in Matthew 26 and 318 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:43,900 verse 7, notice a woman came to him having an alabaster flask of 319 00:18:43,900 --> 00:18:49,100 very costly fragrant oil and she poured it on his head as he sat 320 00:18:49,100 --> 00:18:54,300 at the table now, please follow this closely, An alabaster 321 00:18:54,300 --> 00:18:58,900 flask. It was very thin, it was very 322 00:18:58,900 --> 00:19:00,700 costly. What was inside of it? 323 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:06,500 I am told, by the way, it was fat at the bottom and round and 324 00:19:06,500 --> 00:19:10,100 it came up to a narrowing at the top and in the top they had a 325 00:19:10,100 --> 00:19:11,600 cork. They didn't have, by the way 326 00:19:11,700 --> 00:19:15,000 they have caps like we have on perfumes today that had a cork 327 00:19:15,100 --> 00:19:16,600 and they would cork it inside there. 328 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:21,000 But inside this particular Alabaster flask which by the way 329 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:25,500 the King James calls it an alabaster box, you know the best 330 00:19:25,500 --> 00:19:29,700 English Each word that's translated for that word in the 331 00:19:29,708 --> 00:19:36,300 original is an alabaster vessel. And inside this vessel of glass 332 00:19:36,300 --> 00:19:40,000 Alabaster, I guess you would say very thin very costly fragrant 333 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:47,800 oil was placed inside. It was very rare now. 334 00:19:49,100 --> 00:19:52,700 Inside was precious perfume, how precious marks account tells us 335 00:19:52,708 --> 00:19:58,200 how precious it was. Mark's account says it costs 300 336 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:00,700 denarii I which is a Year's wages. 337 00:20:00,700 --> 00:20:06,000 Remember, we've said this recently one Denarius Was one 338 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:12,200 day's wages 300 denarii. I would be about a Year's Wages. 339 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:15,300 That's how much it cost notice, what she does. 340 00:20:15,300 --> 00:20:18,600 This is amazing by the way. And, you know, really, this is 341 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:21,300 very important. First of all. 342 00:20:21,300 --> 00:20:23,200 Why do they have it? Somebody might ask. 343 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:26,100 Well, first of all, number one to have such a costly thing. 344 00:20:26,100 --> 00:20:27,500 Obviously, the family was wealthy. 345 00:20:27,500 --> 00:20:30,800 That's number one, true. But number two, it was very 346 00:20:30,900 --> 00:20:33,800 customary and common to have it. Do you know why? 347 00:20:34,100 --> 00:20:37,700 Because guess what, They didn't have deodorant back then, right 348 00:20:37,700 --> 00:20:41,200 and garden Speed Stick. We're a long way off, okay? 349 00:20:41,700 --> 00:20:44,800 You know what happens when you walk around in the desert it 350 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:47,400 gets hot. We don't even have showers. 351 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:50,600 Like we have readily available, they didn't have deodorants like 352 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:53,100 we have readily available. She'll people would do they'd 353 00:20:53,100 --> 00:20:56,100 walk around and get hot. They sweat and guess what? 354 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:02,000 They stink, Somebody would have a get-together, a host would 355 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:05,100 invite people over and guess what they would do, they would 356 00:21:05,100 --> 00:21:09,500 have this fragrant oil for the purpose of disguising. 357 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,200 The smell. It was a common courtesy of 358 00:21:14,500 --> 00:21:19,400 common gesture of kindness and by the way, it was for the 359 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:23,200 people, not only the person that stunk but it was also kind for 360 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:25,500 the other people that had to smell the person that stunk 361 00:21:26,100 --> 00:21:29,300 Okay, so it was very common to have this perfume. 362 00:21:29,700 --> 00:21:32,800 I want you to notice what happens though, what this woman 363 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:38,000 does in Matthew 26 and verse 7, in our passage here, a woman, 364 00:21:38,300 --> 00:21:40,600 Matthew doesn't tell us who it is, but Mark does. 365 00:21:41,900 --> 00:21:44,100 I'm sorry. John does John chapter 12 and 366 00:21:44,100 --> 00:21:48,400 verse 3 we find it is Mary. The sister of Martha. 367 00:21:49,900 --> 00:21:51,500 And that was a dear friend of Jesus. 368 00:21:52,300 --> 00:21:55,400 And for some reason, she's given the task of going around and 369 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:56,700 anointing. The guests. 370 00:21:56,700 --> 00:21:59,200 What's she supposed to do is this take a little bit of the 371 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:02,500 oil and go to Jesus first? Then the next one, then the next 372 00:22:02,500 --> 00:22:04,000 one. And then the next one, it was 373 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:06,100 customary. It was common to do that. 374 00:22:06,300 --> 00:22:09,600 You know what she does? She gets to Jesus, she comes to 375 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:12,200 Jesus and she can't contain herself. 376 00:22:13,700 --> 00:22:18,200 She can't go any further. She doesn't go any further than 377 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:21,000 Jesus. She doesn't care about the other 378 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:23,700 guests that were there. She understands something very 379 00:22:23,700 --> 00:22:26,400 important is about to happen that he's heading toward his 380 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:29,900 death. She has to prepare him for that. 381 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:34,400 She knows that it's hurt Redemption and when she starts 382 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:38,200 she can't go any further. John's account says she shatters 383 00:22:38,300 --> 00:22:42,900 the whole bottle interestingly, in Matthew's account, it says 384 00:22:42,900 --> 00:22:48,700 this, she took this costly fragrant oil And she puts it on 385 00:22:48,700 --> 00:22:53,900 his head. Another gospel writer says she 386 00:22:53,900 --> 00:22:57,000 took it and she put it on his feet. 387 00:22:58,700 --> 00:23:00,800 When you put it all together, you know what she did? 388 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:07,700 She put it on his whole body. Unrestrained devotion. 389 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:13,100 She understood what he was about to do in the significance of it. 390 00:23:14,900 --> 00:23:17,400 He was to die for the sins of the world including and 391 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:20,600 especially her own sins, and she knew that and she had to prepare 392 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:22,700 him for that and she didn't care about anything else. 393 00:23:25,100 --> 00:23:26,900 She worshipped him without restraint. 394 00:23:28,300 --> 00:23:34,100 Without restraint. Why? 395 00:23:35,900 --> 00:23:39,000 What made her do that? It was an act of love. 396 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:44,600 It was an act of honor, it was an act of unrestrained worship. 397 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:49,500 She was completely controlled by service so much so that she 398 00:23:49,500 --> 00:23:51,300 couldn't deal with restraint. I'm going to ask you a very 399 00:23:51,300 --> 00:23:54,400 personal question. I'm going to ask you a question 400 00:23:54,400 --> 00:24:02,000 from the bottom of my heart. Do you serve God like that? 401 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:06,400 By the way, I'm asking myself that too. 402 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,300 Do you serve god with unrestrained devotion? 403 00:24:14,700 --> 00:24:21,000 Or do you hold back? Is it okay to serve God when 404 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,100 it's on your terms, when you work him into your busy 405 00:24:23,100 --> 00:24:25,200 schedule? Or is he truly number one in 406 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:31,000 your life? Do you serve him? 407 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:37,000 but with restraint, do you serve him with you with your all? 408 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:41,500 Are you content with just giving him the bare minimum working at 409 00:24:41,500 --> 00:24:44,000 me into your schedule? If that's the case, you're 410 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:48,900 serving him with restraint, Going to say something else, 411 00:24:48,900 --> 00:24:51,300 too. Okay. 412 00:24:53,300 --> 00:24:57,300 If you are Sunday morning, Christian only okay. 413 00:24:58,900 --> 00:25:04,700 Please don't turn me out. if you are Sunday morning attendee, 414 00:25:04,700 --> 00:25:10,100 only, And it's because of extenuating circumstances beyond 415 00:25:10,100 --> 00:25:15,300 your control. Maybe, for example, health 416 00:25:15,300 --> 00:25:18,100 issues, keep you from doing more. 417 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:22,500 Maybe it's because of age issues, keep you from doing 418 00:25:22,500 --> 00:25:25,200 more. Maybe it's other. 419 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:29,000 Truly extenuating circumstances that are beyond your control. 420 00:25:29,700 --> 00:25:32,900 And by the way, only you and God know if it's beyond your control 421 00:25:32,900 --> 00:25:36,000 that's just that's just I'll leave it there, okay? 422 00:25:37,300 --> 00:25:38,900 But if that's the case, that's one thing. 423 00:25:38,900 --> 00:25:40,600 And maybe you're doing everything you can. 424 00:25:42,500 --> 00:25:46,100 But if you are a Sunday morning Christian, only a Sunday morning 425 00:25:46,100 --> 00:25:48,300 attendee only and that's your life. 426 00:25:50,100 --> 00:25:52,800 And the reason for that is because that's what you think is 427 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:57,000 all that's required of you. And you're content with doing 428 00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:01,900 the bare minimum requirement. You are serving God with 429 00:26:01,900 --> 00:26:05,400 restraint. And folks, doesn't he deserve 430 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:09,300 more than that when he gave us everything he had in his best. 431 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:14,300 I want to say something about God's blessings K. 432 00:26:14,500 --> 00:26:17,000 Everybody wants God's blessings. If I were to ask you, do you 433 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:18,500 want God's blessings? You would say yes. 434 00:26:18,500 --> 00:26:19,800 Give it to me in abundance. Yes. 435 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:22,000 You would until we die. Nobody's gonna say no. 436 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:23,100 Not me. Just give me a little bit. 437 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:28,100 Everybody says, no, I want God's blessings in abundance. 438 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:30,100 Everybody does because we all want that. 439 00:26:30,300 --> 00:26:33,300 That's number one. Number two, I don't believe that 440 00:26:33,300 --> 00:26:37,300 God blesses us as payment for serving him. 441 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:41,900 I don't believe that either, but I do believe that God does bless 442 00:26:41,900 --> 00:26:44,800 those, that put him first. And Jesus said that, in Matthew 443 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:49,000 chapter 6 seek, ye first, the kingdom of God and his 444 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:51,800 righteousness and all these things will be added to you. 445 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:57,500 If God's number one, Jesus says, don't worry God's going to take 446 00:26:57,500 --> 00:27:00,400 care of you. He's going to bless you and take 447 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:03,700 care of you. Okay, just a little observation 448 00:27:03,700 --> 00:27:05,500 and I'm done with this part of the lesson. 449 00:27:06,700 --> 00:27:11,500 Just an observation. Don't expect God's blessings in 450 00:27:11,500 --> 00:27:16,800 abundance. when you're content with serving him with restraint, 451 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:21,000 he's got to be everything you got. 452 00:27:23,300 --> 00:27:28,100 He's got to be more than that. Mary poured out her love of 453 00:27:28,100 --> 00:27:30,100 compassion with unrestrained devotion. 454 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:34,100 She was honoring the one that was to die and rise again. 455 00:27:34,100 --> 00:27:36,100 For her salvation and bare her sins. 456 00:27:36,900 --> 00:27:39,300 I want you to notice something the responsive others to her 457 00:27:39,300 --> 00:27:41,600 devotion. Do you know that some of the 458 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:44,100 Lord's own disciples got mad at her? 459 00:27:44,100 --> 00:27:47,400 You know what they said? It is a waste. 460 00:27:48,100 --> 00:27:52,500 Wow. Somebody does something in great 461 00:27:52,500 --> 00:27:57,600 extreme devotion for the Lord. And some of the other disciples 462 00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:02,300 followers of Jesus, they said it's a waste and they got mad at 463 00:28:02,300 --> 00:28:05,700 her. Notice what happened? 464 00:28:07,100 --> 00:28:10,600 In Matthew 26, beginning of verse 8, but when the disciples 465 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:13,600 saw it, they were indignant saying what purpose is this 466 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:15,900 waste. This fragrant oil might be sold 467 00:28:15,900 --> 00:28:19,700 for much and given to the poor Let me back up. 468 00:28:20,100 --> 00:28:22,600 Make one little Point here. Okay, about criticism. 469 00:28:22,700 --> 00:28:26,600 Have you ever been criticized? Have you ever been criticized 470 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:29,900 for being a Christian? I'm going to tell you this. 471 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:33,300 If you live your life with unrestrained Devotion, to 472 00:28:33,300 --> 00:28:36,600 putting God first in your life, somebody that you know whether 473 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:39,300 it's in the workplace or whatever somebody that you know, 474 00:28:39,300 --> 00:28:42,400 is going to make fun of that and they're going to criticize you 475 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:44,400 for that. I had one friend of mine, say 476 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:46,500 what time I think you're taking this thing too far. 477 00:28:47,900 --> 00:28:49,400 People are going to criticize you for that. 478 00:28:49,500 --> 00:28:51,300 So we get that. And we understand that and we 479 00:28:51,300 --> 00:28:54,200 all say and I'm going to say if somebody criticizes you like 480 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:58,400 that. So what But doesn't it hurt, 481 00:28:58,900 --> 00:29:03,400 especially more when the one criticizing is a Christian too. 482 00:29:04,900 --> 00:29:09,100 That's painful. And sometimes when fellow 483 00:29:09,100 --> 00:29:12,400 Christians criticize, you for your service, just remember, 484 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:16,500 this chances are, they're criticizing you because your 485 00:29:16,500 --> 00:29:20,500 devotion and diced them for what they're not doing, and they may 486 00:29:20,500 --> 00:29:23,200 criticize you for your enthusiasm, don't let it Curb 487 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:26,100 Your Enthusiasm. Now, don't let it stop. 488 00:29:26,100 --> 00:29:28,400 You just keep on going and realize what it is. 489 00:29:29,700 --> 00:29:33,000 But when you do something great and when you do something to put 490 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:35,800 the Lord first in your life, somebody is going to criticize 491 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:37,100 you. That's just the way that it is 492 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:39,400 and they called it a waste. They said, it could have been 493 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:42,000 given to the poor. Let me say something about the 494 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:44,200 poor. It is very important to feed the 495 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:46,100 needs of others and feed the needs of the poor. 496 00:29:46,100 --> 00:29:49,800 Yes, it is. But what she understood is she 497 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:52,000 understood it wasn't time to feed the poor. 498 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:54,200 It was a Time To Worship the Lord. 499 00:29:56,000 --> 00:30:00,200 Worship is the single most important thing in our life. 500 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:04,500 Serving God, through worship I'm gonna get back to feeding the 501 00:30:04,500 --> 00:30:07,300 poor and taking care of the needs of others and just a 502 00:30:07,300 --> 00:30:09,200 moment. But let me just notice and chat 503 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:12,500 and John chapter 12 and verse 6. Then he said not that he cared 504 00:30:12,500 --> 00:30:14,900 for the poor. But that, because it was a thief 505 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:17,800 and the money box and he used to take what was put in. 506 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:21,400 In other words, the one that came up with this idea. 507 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:23,600 This objection was Judas. He didn't really care about the 508 00:30:23,608 --> 00:30:25,600 money to give to the poor. What he cared. 509 00:30:25,700 --> 00:30:27,800 About was this. Let's sell the perfume. 510 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:29,600 Give me the three hundred denarii. 511 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:32,200 I let me stick it in the bag and put it in my robe. 512 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:35,500 He had already been deciding to betray Jesus. 513 00:30:35,500 --> 00:30:38,700 That is betraying hypocrisy. That's a fake. 514 00:30:39,500 --> 00:30:41,100 So he really wasn't trying to feed the poor. 515 00:30:41,100 --> 00:30:43,000 He just wanted the money. Okay. 516 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:45,700 That's by the way, I'm done with The Pretender, that's it. 517 00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:47,500 I told you I'd be a small part of our lesson. 518 00:30:47,500 --> 00:30:48,800 That's it. He pretended. 519 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:53,700 So remember the three responses, some hate that was Caiaphas some 520 00:30:53,700 --> 00:30:56,000 love. That was Mary and some And that 521 00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:57,400 students. But let me notice the Lord's 522 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:00,300 response. Matthew 26 and verse 10, when 523 00:31:00,300 --> 00:31:02,400 Jesus was aware of it, he said unto them. 524 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:04,300 Why do you trouble the woman for? 525 00:31:04,300 --> 00:31:08,500 She has done a good work for me. She's done excellently. 526 00:31:08,500 --> 00:31:11,000 She gave all she had. Do you know what she did? 527 00:31:11,300 --> 00:31:14,900 She did the same thing that Jesus described with that widow 528 00:31:14,900 --> 00:31:18,300 woman that we just talked about last time that gave to my tips. 529 00:31:18,700 --> 00:31:22,000 Jesus said, and all the money that was given she gave more 530 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:23,600 than all combined. Why? 531 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:27,700 She gave out of her necessity. They gave out of their 532 00:31:27,700 --> 00:31:32,900 abundance, she gave all that she had for God. 533 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:37,500 And by the way, it's not the amount, because you remember how 534 00:31:37,500 --> 00:31:45,200 much in monetary measure? Two mites were 1/4 of a penny. 535 00:31:46,300 --> 00:31:48,700 But Jesus said she gave all she had and it was way more 536 00:31:48,700 --> 00:31:50,700 important. That's what this woman did. 537 00:31:50,700 --> 00:31:53,900 That's what Mary did she gave all she had in her service to 538 00:31:53,900 --> 00:31:56,200 the Lord. Jesus said this do about the 539 00:31:56,200 --> 00:31:59,400 poor Matthew 26 and 11. You have the poor with you 540 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:01,500 always. But with me you do not have 541 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:02,400 always. Ways. 542 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:06,100 No, it is important to take care of the needs of the poor and 543 00:32:06,100 --> 00:32:09,400 Deuteronomy, 15 and 11. And Jesus is actually borrowing 544 00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:12,500 this passage. As he's made that statement and 545 00:32:12,500 --> 00:32:15,600 Deuteronomy 15:11. He said, for the poor will never 546 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:19,000 cease from the land. Therefore I command you saying, 547 00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:22,300 you shall open your hand. Why do your brother to you're 548 00:32:22,300 --> 00:32:24,900 poor and you're needy in your land, okay? 549 00:32:25,300 --> 00:32:28,100 So helping the needs of others is important but please 550 00:32:28,100 --> 00:32:31,900 understand the ultimate priority of life is worship. 551 00:32:32,900 --> 00:32:34,300 And nothing should stand in that way. 552 00:32:34,300 --> 00:32:37,400 That's going to be number one in our life, okay? 553 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:42,800 Supreme Act of a Christian then in verse 12 of Matthew 26, this 554 00:32:42,800 --> 00:32:47,000 is what Jesus says more that she was doing in this for importing 555 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:51,900 this fragrant oil on my body. She did it for my burial, then 556 00:32:51,900 --> 00:32:55,600 in verse 13, assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is 557 00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:59,700 preached to the whole world. What this woman has done will 558 00:32:59,700 --> 00:33:02,400 also be told as a memorial to her. 559 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:05,400 In other words, when anybody reads this, they will know that 560 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:10,200 her act was the memorial or an act of loving worship and she 561 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:12,100 served the Lord without restraint. 562 00:33:12,300 --> 00:33:14,300 Okay? Do you remember in our 563 00:33:14,300 --> 00:33:18,800 introduction when I said that the objective of the lesson is 564 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:22,400 to show the importance of corporate worship and not just 565 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:25,600 on our own, okay? And we go to Second Chronicles 566 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:28,600 chapter 7. This is God's response by the 567 00:33:28,600 --> 00:33:33,500 way to the prayer that Solomon prayed and it Chronicles chapter 568 00:33:33,500 --> 00:33:37,000 7 and it's verses 12 and verse 15. 569 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:40,200 Here it is. Then the Lord appeared to 570 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:43,900 Solomon by night and said to him, I have heard your prayer. 571 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:51,200 And I have chosen this place for myself as a House of sacrifice. 572 00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:56,300 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attended to the prayer made 573 00:33:56,300 --> 00:33:59,200 in this place. Did you get that police which 574 00:33:59,200 --> 00:34:02,200 was on the screen? This. 575 00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:09,800 Place. There was a time when this place 576 00:34:10,199 --> 00:34:16,400 mattered, there was a time when the temple itself and the 577 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:20,100 structure of the temple and the Old Testament mattered and was 578 00:34:20,100 --> 00:34:23,800 significant, God said, I've heard their prayer, I will hear 579 00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:29,600 their prayer in this place. But folks did you know this that 580 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:33,400 this building that we're in right now is not significant. 581 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:38,600 The building is not significant anymore. 582 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:41,600 I got to say something about our building. 583 00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:44,900 We have a beautiful little building, we really do, and we 584 00:34:44,900 --> 00:34:46,800 are thankful and blessed that we have it. 585 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:50,800 We've got a nice place to come together and worship. 586 00:34:51,100 --> 00:34:53,800 Is it scriptural to use the church treasury for the 587 00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:55,100 building? Yes. 588 00:34:55,100 --> 00:34:57,600 Do you know why? Because it's not a necessity, 589 00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:02,700 it's an expedient, it expedites. The process, God has commanded 590 00:35:02,700 --> 00:35:06,200 us to worship the building expedites the process of 591 00:35:06,200 --> 00:35:08,100 worship. But, you know, this, we don't 592 00:35:08,100 --> 00:35:10,900 need the building the worship because all that matters is not 593 00:35:10,900 --> 00:35:14,300 the structure anymore. It's the assembly and we can 594 00:35:14,300 --> 00:35:17,400 assemble in this place. We can assemble outside. 595 00:35:17,500 --> 00:35:19,100 We can assemble it a barn, somewhere. 596 00:35:19,100 --> 00:35:22,200 It doesn't matter. So yes it's second Chronicles 597 00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:24,400 chapter 7 with the temple and the Old Testament. 598 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:27,700 God said what is significant? Is this place? 599 00:35:27,900 --> 00:35:30,600 But not anymore and I want to make one more point. 600 00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:34,600 Please about the treasury and how the Lord's money is used 601 00:35:34,600 --> 00:35:36,300 with regards to things like this. 602 00:35:39,700 --> 00:35:45,100 I've heard for all my life. We need to keep a large balance 603 00:35:45,100 --> 00:35:49,000 in the treasury. In case something emergency hits 604 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:54,900 like the parking lot goes out. Folks do you realize we can jack 605 00:35:54,900 --> 00:35:57,300 hammer that Park parking lot out in park on the dirt still 606 00:35:57,300 --> 00:36:01,900 worship God. You realize that? 607 00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:06,700 We don't need that. It's not a necessity. 608 00:36:09,500 --> 00:36:13,200 It's a blessing. Is it wrong to have a nice 609 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:14,700 parking lot? No. 610 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:19,600 But let's not put so much emotional emphasis on buildings 611 00:36:19,600 --> 00:36:23,100 and parking lots. At the expense of preaching, the 612 00:36:23,100 --> 00:36:28,900 gospel, amen. That's what matters. 613 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:34,600 Foremost. First and foremost, right? 614 00:36:35,300 --> 00:36:37,700 The assembly. What matters in the New 615 00:36:37,700 --> 00:36:39,800 Testament? What matters in the New 616 00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:41,400 Testament? As Chris parade. 617 00:36:41,700 --> 00:36:44,400 It's to worship Him in spirit and in truth, as we've come 618 00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:47,900 together in the assembly, in John chapter 4, Jesus, having a 619 00:36:47,900 --> 00:36:50,400 conversation with the woman at the well, and beginning in verse 620 00:36:50,400 --> 00:36:54,700 19, the woman said to him, sir, I perceive that you are a 621 00:36:54,700 --> 00:36:59,600 prophet, our fathers worshiped in this mountain and you Jews 622 00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:02,300 say that in Jerusalem, is the place where we ought to worship. 623 00:37:02,500 --> 00:37:05,600 Okay. Here's the response of Jesus, 624 00:37:06,300 --> 00:37:11,100 John 4 verses 21, 23 and 24. Here it is. 625 00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:15,200 Jesus said to her woman, believe me the hour is coming. 626 00:37:15,300 --> 00:37:18,200 When you will neither worship on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, 627 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:20,600 worship the father, but the hour is coming. 628 00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:23,600 And now is when the true worshipers will worship the 629 00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:27,300 father in spirit, and in truth, for the father is seeking such 630 00:37:27,300 --> 00:37:30,400 to worship him. God is a spirit and those who 631 00:37:30,400 --> 00:37:36,800 worship Him must worship. Up him in spirit and in truth. 632 00:37:38,900 --> 00:37:42,800 One scholar said a spiritual being like God can only be 633 00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:47,300 pleased with worship when it comes from the heart. 634 00:37:48,500 --> 00:37:51,600 When it comes from the right place, when it comes from the 635 00:37:51,607 --> 00:37:53,900 right Spirit. When it comes from the right 636 00:37:53,900 --> 00:38:01,000 motive, and when it's according to reveal truth, According to 637 00:38:01,008 --> 00:38:05,000 the scriptures. Let me close with this. 638 00:38:06,900 --> 00:38:09,300 As we've said several times, there's three ways to respond to 639 00:38:09,308 --> 00:38:11,600 the Cross of Christ. We know that some hate some 640 00:38:11,600 --> 00:38:14,400 love. Some pretend, we all know about 641 00:38:14,400 --> 00:38:17,400 The Pretender, that Pretender in our story was Judas. 642 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:19,300 And that's the hypocrite. That's The Pretender. 643 00:38:20,900 --> 00:38:26,700 But hate is rejection. So, let's get specific rejection 644 00:38:26,900 --> 00:38:31,800 of what? Hate is rejection of the Gospel. 645 00:38:33,700 --> 00:38:36,800 The good news of the death burial and resurrection of Jesus 646 00:38:36,800 --> 00:38:39,500 Christ. The New Testament pattern 647 00:38:39,500 --> 00:38:43,900 whereby we must be saved. When the gospel is preached and 648 00:38:43,900 --> 00:38:45,900 people hear the evidence of the Gospel. 649 00:38:46,500 --> 00:38:49,500 Now, by the way, I understand sometimes people delay, that's 650 00:38:49,500 --> 00:38:52,200 not what I'm talking about. Because sometimes delaying your 651 00:38:52,200 --> 00:38:54,500 responses because you're counting the cost and Jesus said 652 00:38:54,500 --> 00:38:56,600 that was a good thing. Not talking about that. 653 00:38:57,100 --> 00:38:59,800 I'm talking about ultimate rejection of the Gospel, you've 654 00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:01,600 heard the evidence. Not I'm done. 655 00:39:03,900 --> 00:39:07,100 That's hate. That's hate. 656 00:39:08,200 --> 00:39:12,200 What is love? Love is obedience and love is 657 00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:17,500 obedience demonstrated by loving worship and it begins with 658 00:39:17,500 --> 00:39:19,400 obeying, the gospel. What's the first thing? 659 00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:22,500 You must obey? You must obey the gospel in 660 00:39:22,500 --> 00:39:27,600 Romans 10:17. Paul said, so faith comes by 661 00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:29,500 hearing and hearing by the word of God. 662 00:39:31,100 --> 00:39:34,100 Jesus said in Mark 16:16 that you have to make a choice when 663 00:39:34,100 --> 00:39:36,100 you hear the word of God and today you've heard the word of 664 00:39:36,100 --> 00:39:39,000 God. And you got to make a choice. 665 00:39:39,400 --> 00:39:42,700 Jesus said, he who believes and is baptized will be saved. 666 00:39:42,700 --> 00:39:44,800 He that does not believe will be condemned. 667 00:39:46,300 --> 00:39:49,000 What is belief mean? Belief means having the forced 668 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:52,100 to obey another words. I read about what Jesus has done 669 00:39:52,100 --> 00:39:54,800 for me, and I believe that Jesus is the son of God. 670 00:39:54,900 --> 00:39:57,100 Not just the concept of it, but I believe it. 671 00:39:57,100 --> 00:39:59,500 So strongly. I'm willing to do whatever he 672 00:39:59,500 --> 00:40:01,400 wants me to do. I'm going to obey him. 673 00:40:01,400 --> 00:40:04,700 What else did Jesus say? You have to do to be saved? 674 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:10,200 Jesus said you got to repent? What's that mean fancy word? 675 00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:13,600 It just means I got to change. What's wrong with change? 676 00:40:13,600 --> 00:40:15,900 We change all the time. How about change for good? 677 00:40:16,700 --> 00:40:19,400 Repentance means this. I'm I've been going in this 678 00:40:19,400 --> 00:40:21,100 direction but I'm no longer going to do that. 679 00:40:21,100 --> 00:40:23,300 I'm going to change my life and I'm going to follow Jesus 680 00:40:23,300 --> 00:40:26,500 Christ. Jesus said, I tell you know, but 681 00:40:26,500 --> 00:40:28,700 except you repent you will all likewise perish. 682 00:40:29,400 --> 00:40:31,800 He further said, if you'll confess me before men, I will 683 00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:34,000 confess you before my Father, which is in heaven. 684 00:40:34,200 --> 00:40:38,000 What's the confession? Here it is Acts chapter 8. 685 00:40:38,700 --> 00:40:42,600 I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. 686 00:40:44,700 --> 00:40:47,500 If you hear believe, repent, confess. 687 00:40:47,900 --> 00:40:51,100 Those are prerequisites to going to the point of salvation, but 688 00:40:51,100 --> 00:40:55,400 you're not saved yet. You haven't obeyed the gospel 689 00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:59,300 yet. A person obeys the gospel, when 690 00:40:59,300 --> 00:41:01,500 they go down to the Waters of baptism and have their sins 691 00:41:01,500 --> 00:41:03,900 washed away. Jesus said, he that believes and 692 00:41:03,900 --> 00:41:08,300 is baptized will be saved first, Peter 3:21, the like figure, 693 00:41:08,300 --> 00:41:10,300 whereunto, even baptism doth also. 694 00:41:10,300 --> 00:41:13,700 Now, save us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, 695 00:41:13,700 --> 00:41:15,900 but the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the 696 00:41:15,900 --> 00:41:20,000 resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's how you obey the gospel. 697 00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:23,000 That's how you respond to the preaching of the cross. 698 00:41:23,600 --> 00:41:27,100 That my friends is what you have to do to be saved. 699 00:41:27,600 --> 00:41:30,900 May I ask you a question, are you saying today? 700 00:41:32,000 --> 00:41:34,200 If not, you could take those steps, we would love to assist 701 00:41:34,200 --> 00:41:35,800 you in that you could be saved today. 702 00:41:36,700 --> 00:41:39,000 Maybe you've taken those steps of obedience, but maybe there 703 00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:40,500 are things in your life that aren't right? 704 00:41:40,900 --> 00:41:42,700 Maybe there are things that you need to correct. 705 00:41:43,500 --> 00:41:46,200 That be the case come repenting of those things confessed. 706 00:41:46,200 --> 00:41:48,500 Those things will pray with you and for you and God will forgive 707 00:41:48,500 --> 00:41:51,900 and restore. We thank you for listening to 708 00:41:51,900 --> 00:41:56,800 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 709 00:41:56,800 --> 00:42:00,300 Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional 710 00:42:00,300 --> 00:42:03,600 information, or you would like to receive a free Bible 711 00:42:03,600 --> 00:42:09,000 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at her 712 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:11,500 Church of Christ Bakersfield.com. 713 00:42:12,100 --> 00:42:17,400 Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 714 00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:21,800 Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us. 715 00:42:22,300 --> 00:42:24,500 We would love for you to be our honored guest.