Love and Betrayal

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Call to Worship

Say: Let us now begin to worship the Father the Son, the Holy Spirit, Our Call to worship Comes to us from

Gimel

Psalm 119:17–24 NKJV

17 Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word. 18 Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law. 19 I am a stranger in the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me. 20 My soul breaks with longing For Your judgments at all times. 21 You rebuke the proud—the cursed, Who stray from Your commandments. 22 Remove from me reproach and contempt, For I have kept Your testimonies. 23 Princes also sit and speak against me, But Your servant meditates on Your statutes. 24 Your testimonies also are my delight And my counselors.

Introduction

There is a temptation to diminish the devotion and zealous actions of others. Sometime in our sin we see someone else acting in faith and belittle or tell them to take it easy. I want to share with you this story from Spurgeon and Luther about Childrens prayers.

300 Sermon Illustrations from Charles Spurgeon The Power of Children’s Prayers (1 Samuel 3:1–21; Psalm 8:2; 1 Timothy 4:12)

Luther went into a room and found a number of children in prayer. He exclaimed, “It is well, for the children are praying for us: God will be sure to hear them.” And so he will. He will not let the cries of Samuels and Timothys remain unheard. Thus, from the heavenward side, the prayers uttered by children’s mouths will bring prosperity to the great cause. As these children grow older it is by their mouths that they shall bombard and batter the power of the enemy from the ramparts of prayer, and so shall bring an overthrow upon evil and error, and God’s word shall be triumphant. O blessed power of prayer, nothing can stand against you! The man, the child, the babe who knows but how to pray shall certainly prevail with God, and “silence the enemy and the avenger” (

Your faith is to be a mighty battle axe in the hands of the Lord, your prayers are the air support, your acts of faith are artillery

is in our lives. I want to today show you this robust faith The Text

Mark 14:1–11 ESV

1 It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, 2 for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.” 3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” 10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.

Big Idea

You have two reactions to Jesus, Love or evil hatred.

Background

Mark Literary Context

The account of the plot to kill Jesus (14:1–2, 10–11) contains the first specific chronological reference since Jesus entered Jerusalem (11:1). We are now “two days away” from the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. The present episode is connected to the previous narrative as a continuation of the plots against Jesus, which began already in 3:6 but intensified after Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem and his clearing of the temple (11:18; 12:12). The anointing narrative that follows (14:3–9) is geographically linked to the previous narrative with its reference to Bethany (11:2, 11–12).

This event happens while the Priests are plotting to kill him.

Offering and Theft

Mark 14:3 ESV

3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.

Mark 14:5 ESV

5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her.

This had great value

Judas was upset because he was the holder of the money bag and he was stealing from it.

John 12:4–6 ESV

4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.

Application

She was willing to give something completely to him

It is observable that she took care to pour it all out upon Christ’s head;

she broke the box (so we read it); but because it was an alabaster box, not easily broken, nor was it necessary that it should be broken, to get out the ointment, some read it, she shook the box, or knocked it to the ground, to loosen what was in it, that it might be got out the better; or, she rubbed and scraped out all that stuck to the sides of it.

Christ must have been honoured with all we have, and we must not think to keep back any part of the price. Do we give him the precious ointment of our best affections? Let him have them all; love him with all the heart.

This is a diagnostic question, do you give every once to the Lord. Are you willing to break what is pricy for the Lord

Matthew 22:37 ESV

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

We teach this to our children, do you live it?

That means making other choices, tough choices.

I had a friend that was in a dating relationship that was not good (Expand AND DON’T SAY NAMES)

Relationship was not right, was bad, worked out in the end

Do you hold anything back?

Giving

So now the question of what to do with the offering? They take this notion of you could have given it to the poor. This is a common tactic btw, guilt you so they can steal your best for themselves.

Love this thing over your God first, give your best to this over that. Distract your energy and giving with this thing that can be important.

So when it comes to giving I’d say that let scripture says this

2 Corinthians 9:6–7 ESV

6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

When God has given you in your heart a desire to give, give willingly, give boldly, don’t let the world define your terms, to steal your desires.

Anointing and Berating

Mark 14:6–9 ESV

6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

In contrast

Mark 14:4–5 ESV

4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her.

JEsus, uis the sufferin servant (Break down this story of him coming ot die from the Entire OT and how his life pointed to it)

The world will berate us for our beliefs

2 Peter 3:1–9 ESV

1 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Application:

Jesus came to die he came to save us, the anointing hear was specifically about the burial oils that he was to receive.

You must not grow forgetful.

Hosea 13:6 ESV

6 but when they had grazed, they became full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot me.

Do you know how amazing your God is? Consider trees outside (explain how that’s done) Squirels barry nuts and grow trees.)

Don’t let what you have, make you forget your God!

They berating the women, because they forgot to cherish their God. In Judas’s case even more so. Have you grown in the ease of forgetfullness because of what you have?

So repent and remeber your first love!

Worship and Betrayal

To end we see this stark difference in reception of Jesus

Mark 14:3 ESV

3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.

Judas in contrast

Mark 14:10–11 ESV

10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.

The pharisees did this at this time so that his death would be before the eyes of all the jews.

This season everyone would make a pilgrimage to Israel for the passover. In fact if some sources are to be believed upwards of 20% of the Roman empire was worshiping Yahweh, that includes God fearing Romans, Greeks, and others.

They wanted to killing him and restore their power.

By exnetion you must realize that the world will resist and persecute us it will actively work to stop worship of the true and living God.

If you haven't paid attention to the news this week the swamp of our government has been actively funding efforts that undermine or attack or prop up anti-Christian efforts

The support for

I bring this up as proof of what Jesus said.

We as Christians have been betrayed! by those who repsent us, but their is a counter action which is worship!

Application

YOu must know that His death and ressurection ar before you (give the gospel)

Benediction

Say: As we close our service of worship dear brother and sister please stand for our benediction and receive by faith this blessing from God

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 ESV

23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.