Do What You Can
DO WHAT YOU CAN
This morning I submit to you that in these last days the devil is trying to through His church ofcourse. He's trying to detract us, trying to make us lose our focus.
Mark 14:3-9
3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
(KJV)
I am ever afraid of the Nibulis clouds of darkness that seems to be spreading in our churches today across North America.
My topic this morning "Do What You Can" Let us pray.
You heard . . . Yeah you of course. . . Si is throwing this big party in honor of Jesus and everybody who is somebody is going to be there. Yeah--sure. I even heard that that dead guy is going to be there. Dead guy what dead guy. Well you know isn't really dead "Jesus resurrected him from the grave the guy was in the sepulcher four days, stinking and all and Jesus commands him to come forth"
What's his name . . . La, Lao, Lama, Lazarus that's right!
You gonna be there who me . . . . sure, sure Lazarus and I go way back you know.
Christian writer reports that Jesus was on one hand of Simon and Lazarus was on the other.
In my preachers imagination I could visualize what went on. They're all the dignitaries and all the big shots. I can see all the Jewish government officials in high places, all the bright lights.
Then all of a sudden this woman walks in. Amongst the crowd of people trying to go unnoticed all she wants to do is find Jesus where is Jesus!
She's trying to find her Lord, and doesn't want to bother with anyone else. You see she came to have church! The Bible says that she knew Jesus was going to be there and that's where she wanted to be!
She came to have church!
When she found out that Jesus was going to be there she prepared an offering and came singing the song "I just came to have church."
There was a party going on but she came to have church!
Luke 7:37
37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
(KJV)
The bible calls her a sinner.
You see when we come to church the reason ought to be we go there to meet Jesus. We don't go there to necessarily to meet friends, we don't go there to show off we go there because we know Jesus is going to be there.
Luke 7:38
38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
(KJV)
Jesus had done so much for her. He saved her brother from death, Jesus had cast demons out of her body seven times, Jesus had saved her from death, criticism by stoning. Jesus had saved her soul.
In order to have a real experience with Jesus you have to realize what He's done for ya!
Then and only then can you come to church with a praise attitude. You can come and say alleluia, you can shout Thank you Jesus. You're not afraid to praise Him because
"He took your feet out of the miry clay set you the rock to stay!"
I can't understand how in the world people can come to church unmoved, frown on those who seek to say something, so stoic and frosty. When you recognized how God has been good to our wretched undeserving souls . . . you can't shut up!
Ps 92:1
1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:
(KJV)
Ps 34:1
1 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
(KJV)
Ps 100:5
5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
(KJV)
The reason why some of our convocations are dry and ritual like is because we have no awareness or appreciation of the goodness of God.
"What I think about Jesus what He's done for me . . ."
That's why some can come and frown on others who make the slightest noise . . .
Not the psalmist though
Ps 100:4-5
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
(KJV)
She came with a thankful heart recognizing what a treasure she had in Jesus.
How in the world can someone begin to think about the cross of Calvary and what Jesus did for them and is doing on their behalf.
"When men and women can more fully comprehend the magnitude of the great sacrifice which was made by the Majesty of heaven in dying in man's stead, then will the plan of salvation be magnified, and reflections of Calvary will awaken tender, sacred, and lively emotions in the Christian's heart.... This world will appear of but little value to those who appreciate the great price of man's redemption, the precious blood of God's dear Son. All the riches of the world are not of sufficient value to redeem one perishing soul. Who can measure the love Christ felt for a lost world as He hung upon the cross, suffering for the sins of guilty men? . . . "
"Upon this theme it is a sin to be calm and unimpassioned." —Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, pp. 212, 213.
There was a party going on but she came to have church.
Sounds like the direct opposite of some of our campmeetings in New York. There's church going on but some people come to party.
Yves Saint Lauren cologne, Armani suits, bally shoes, Gucci pocket books. And when they walk down the aisle to take their seat you'd think were in Fashion Fifth Avenue or Broadway.
This year . . .
Girls go to meet guys . . . guys go to meet girls.
Some go to gossip . . . ain't that so and so he got an ugly wife. . . or she still wearing that tire old dress she had from last campmeeting.
Sometimes you see them outside of the tent talking while church is going on. (So girl I heard your going to N.Y.U. next year. Well you know I was really thinking about Florida state)
Hey is anyone there going to meet Jesus?
Church should be a place where I can bring my praise. I can come with my grateful heart, I can lift my voice in thanks for His grace and wonderful mercy. I can get recharged for a new week.
She tried to come unnoticed but couldn't.
Bottle of fragrance . . . whoops the world place knew.
When you experience just what God has done for you. You can't keep that to yourself you just got to get up and tell somebody else!
Sometimes God wants to show off with us! Our story can encourage someone else.
Well she let the cat out of the bag and then oh boy . . . oh boy.
Read it
Mark 14:
3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
Complaining in front of the Lord (indirectly)
It won't change a thing. Can't change the heart.
Complain about our church, our young people, our leaders, our love ones, and our lives!
In essence we are saying Jesus what are you doing?
Devil tries to get us to be a complaining church instead of thankful. A disgruntled church instead of grateful, a dissatisfied church instead of appreciative!
"If our hearts are softened and subdued by the grace of Christ, and glowing with a sense of God's goodness and love, there will be a natural outflow of love, sympathy, and tenderness to others."—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 606
"If we possess the humility of our Master, we shall rise above the slights, the rebuffs, the annoyances, to which we are daily exposed, and they will cease to cast a gloom over the spirit."—The Desire of Ages, p. 301.
John 12:4-6
4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,
5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
(KJV)
Here was ministry ordained and approved by Heaven, scorned against by puny men.
They murmured against her.
Well what did she do?
Stewardship
Shingle on church
I always tell folk in NY (dollar)
She saved up for year's wages to show her thanks. Our Christian experience is shown by our giving.
Then the Word of the Lord gives us a different picture
Luke 7:39-47
39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
(KJV)
You see some believe that just because we got more years in the church than anybody else. Because we taught more Bible class than anyone else, gave more money than anyone else, baptized more people than anyone else, been to more wed night meetings than anyone else, got more vege links and choplets in the freezer than anybody else some believe that they have arrived and God has sent them here to bless the rest of us with their wisdom.
Can't understand why folk can't get straight, somebody in the church can make a mistake and they want to kick them when they are down.
Want to talk about them when they wear their makeup!
But they forget that they were . . . All of us have sinned!
They don't have to lead your Sabbath School class but when God washes them up! We ought to give people a chance.
You know what so special about this story! God can use little old me, insignificant me to do a special work.
Jesus said she has done what she could.
Do what you can . . . find out what God has for you to do and do it with all of His richest blessing. Do what you can . . . don't try to do everything but do what you can!
Because of her level of the realization of thankfulness her level of spirituality was far above her peers.
It's not what you do! It's not how long you've been in this thing! It's what you allow Jesus to do for you!
How could she know? This is woman who Simon called a sinner, this nobody not even a deaconess in the church how could she know!
You see Jesus said
Mark 14:8
8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
(KJV)
How could she know when the learned and educated Scribes and Pharisees, the religious rulers Jesus didn't have a clue.
They kept looking for an earthly kingdom they . . . she caught on faster than anyone else.
You don't need a PHD to understand you need a relationship with Jesus!
Lord thank you for your ministry of salvation and grace for me! I'm talking about an experience!
Even the disciples didn't have a clue . . .
They kept fighting among each other to see which would get the highest position. Even one of the mothers were asking . . .
When 500 gathering to hear Jesus two of the angels were with them and the Word said that they asked "Lord are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel at this time"
It's not a physical kingdom against the Romans that He’s trying to establish it’s a spiritual kingdom!
Jesus said “Fear not those who can kill the body but not the soul, but fear God who can destroy both body and soul in hell.
In other words we ought not fear gangs who can mug us and kill us dead but we ought to fear things like sitting up in church mad at each other and not speaking to one another, acting unchristian because in so doing we fear God who is no respector of persons and will cast both soul and body. We will be destroyed and lose eternal life because of unconfessed and pet sins!
We ought not fear dying in Christ but living in sin!
Jesus inferred that “I didn’t come to fight against the Roman empire if that we’re true I could call 10,000 to come down and earth would not have a chance!
I came to fight sin in the soul!
Against
Drugs, passion, reveling, theft, lying, hatred, adultery, fornication, depression, discouragement, self-righteousness, presumption, doubt, fear--sin.
But the disciples asked “Lord are you going to do it now?”
I can see in my minds eye, the scene, the probably frustration of the angels
The Lord told you . . .
Don't worry boys I'll handle this . . .
There are some things you just won't get yet! But my Father will revealed it to you in due time!
In a short while you’ll get Holy Ghost power! Just preach! And you’ll be my witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and in all the World
When others didn't know she knew!
Do what you can and God will bless. Do what you know is right.
Do what you can when others seem to put you down.
Do what you can for in so doing you might save a weary soul.
Do what you can for you might warm the heart of Jesus.
Do what you can for you might encourage some one else along the way
Do what you can for you just might save your own lost soul.
Do what you can!