Honouring the Life-giver
Alex pray together I have only thought that we pray to you that you will please speak to us through your word and show us your son the Lord Jesus Christ by the work of your Holy Spirit. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ.
Today is Saturday and Sunday and Christians prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus by remembering that he will one day come back to race his followers into life in the Glorious presence of God. Answer those who've I've been busy. The last few Sundays will remember that we seen Jesus say I am the light of the world and show that she has the power to do what he says by opening the eyes of a man who was blind from birth and more recently. We seen Jesus say I am the resurrection and the life and he is going on to raise Lazarus house.
Here's the picture that we've been lucky with last Sunday and this Sunday. We are seeing death as a doctrinal. Imagine death as a dark tunnel and what we seen Jesus do so far is too cool to summon the dead Lazarus back into the light of this world and life in it. How amazing is that? But there is more because today Advent Sunday was seeing the big picture of the Bible how it all fits together. And this same Jesus is coming back. At later on in the accounts that we got the forest with John about the life of Jesus at this Jesus Christ dies on the cross and Rises himself back to life and returns to the glory of God so that he is now in the light of the glory of God and know that he is he able to summon people answer The. Tunnel of Death back into life in this. Well, he is now in the glory of God is able to summon those are in the dark tunnel the death into the light of the glory of the presence of God and eternal life with him.
This is the person with thinking about.
This whole significance of what he has done is pictured I think in the opening verses of chapter 12, that's just read them 6 days before the Passover. Jesus came to Bethany Lazarus lived in Jesus had raised from the dead here at dinner was skipping and cheese Susana was Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.
It was an emotional occasion this meal. The Christmas dinner they never forget. A few weeks before this family have been in the depths of grief. Lazarus who died Now the village weather had been whaling. That was feasting. Because Jesus has raised Lazarus from the dead and there he was reclining at the feast to prove it. We got the picture.
what you learned from this well, there are three things and the first is how to own a Jesus Christ in the lights of who he is as Muffler married to and secondly to things to beware of living for money. As to discuss and probably had to consider the evidence in partially but who this Jesus Christ truly is and what the implications are for us to consider the evidence in partially unlike the chief priests. What should I wear to honor Jesus if we wise as Mother Mary? Mother Mary arrange this dinner to celebrate what Jesus has done for them before it's too late because in chapter 11 verse 57, we see that the chief priests already got that the Secret Service people out looking for an opportunity to to arrest Jesus. Why go back to verse 53 so that they can assassinated so that they can get rid of him so they can have him killed. And this family is aware the time in Shores. They want to celebrate Jesus defeated Death Before It's Too Late to thank him and honor him to express the love for him. What's there still time? Was he still with them? How are they going to do it will muffin Mary show us together. They show us how to love Jesus. Together they give us a model for us to follow Jesus by her practical sacrificial service. this to Martha sets She showed her love and gratitude and acts of service.
Planning the menu organizing the teams of people to prepare the different courses for the feast running around and getting everything together the right time and the right place previously and Luke Chapter say chapter 11. She'd resented her sister marries preference for sitting at Jesus feet listening to his teaching now, there was no hint of any comparison she was with serving Because she loved the person she was working. Lord Jesus that was her way of honoring him and Mary's way was different. Mariana Jesus by humbly placing herself At His Feet as his servant. Cleaning dirty feet was the job of the lowest slave of the household and that was the place Mary chose. as hers She went on to unwrap and to clean his filthy feet presumably with her hair.
She was honoring Jesus by giving him the best she had. A whole jar call Pollito Pio. It's estimated value about a Year's average wage. So in today's prices somewhere between 20 and 30 thousand times with enough for a good deposit on a house. She could have used it and she could have used some of it and kept some of it. She didn't cheat pulling it all that on him Beyond anybody 6 expectations in a way that was extravagant. In a way that was sacrificial. It meant that she would have fewer options later long was limiting the resources that she kept for herself. Anyway, that's at would deny herself some of the places. I have going out for dinner less frequently. What have that there was sacrifice involved in giving this sort of cash. She gave the best she could and she on the Jesus supremely by giving herself.
There's no suggestion of sexual immorality and her relationship with Jesus, but it was an intensely personal relationship without being sexual. Women in those days who undid the hair in public where regarded with suspicion she had no hesitation doing it. She wasn't mine full of her reputation.
She loved Jesus and she was going to show it. She thought nothing too great and goods to bestow on such a loving savior sitting at his feet in days gone by and hearing his Words Cheat fans piece for her conscience and pardon for her sins. At this very moment, she sold Lazarus alive and well sitting by her lost his side around brother Lazarus the Lord had brought back to her from the grave. Greatly locked she thought she could not show too much love in return having freely received. She freely guy.
There's so much not this one meant for. It's on Jesus that evening that the whole Space around the dinner table was permeated with it sent. And we Disciples of Jesus I described later on in other parts of the Bible as the fragrance of Christ. You disciple of Jesus Christ all the fragrance. Of Christ and as he gives us Grace to Humble ourselves. to dedicate to a wealth and I'll sells to him and costly sacrificial devoted acts of service and deeds of love the fragrance of Christ. Permeates the spaces around us his people.
But that's a couple of warnings here as well. And the first one is against the love of money and it's given to us by Judas West muffin Mariana. Jesus Judas complained about this extravagant General Steve marries + 10 + 5. He says that this money should have been given to the pool. And of course he was right and we should remember the pool and give generously to support those in need. That wasn't you this is true motive. Ever 6 tells us he did not say this because he cared about the pool. But because he was a thief ask you for the money back. He used to help himself to what was put into it. You're the type of person who had money on his mind a lot of the time. Later that he was to betray Jesus and a considerable sum of money was involved.
Great, it seems had already invaded his soul. Like many I have to see the most in our time Judas was a worship leader of not the God who has made us but a mother God. money money is a very modern God. Materialist religion is one that is worshipped by most in all time. It's worshippers flock to its temples. Especially this time of the year the shops online and in the real world. Alliance a lift to get money to meet its insatiable demands it promises it's where she puts significance satisfaction. identity security Alicia
that's what it promises. But what does it deliver?
A sense of Shame of frustration because we always want more than we've got it was said of the richest man in the world at the time. He was AUST at how much money do you need to have enough? And he said Just a little bit more. Of course, we can take it with us at that.
It's one of those things at that is just for now, isn't it the poor person and the rich person equal in the confrontation with that? Important question that is not how much was he worth?
How much did she make how much did she leave? Did she or he did that person trust in Jesus?
Well, that sounds too low to set us free from the Relentless race for money that are cultural Our Generation worships. Entrusted with a full day's work, you'll give us enough enough to do what we need to do. And let's pray against being distracted from seeing and worshipping. The true life giving us Jesus Christ being too busy to consider him too busy to open up the words that enable us to know him. Let's put our trust in him. He can bring us through this dark tunnel. And that makes me to you at so I think I'll be at the chief priests in the last thing we're going to think about today is Sam and reluctant step that refusal in fact to impartially look at the evidence. The raising of Lazarus is one of the best to tested miracles in the Bible. Even Jesus animates the religious leaders of the time if you read the the the Chapstick athlete, I'm not denying that this miracle has taken place.
His what's that one commentator says a mighty miracle was done within the easy walk of Jerusalem. A man full days that was raised to life in the sight of many witnesses. The fact was on the stake book and could not speak tonight. And yes, the chief priests and Pharisees would not believe that he who did this miracle or to be received as the Messiah.
In the face of overwhelming evidence. They shot their eyes. They refused to be convinced this man. Dad message does many miracles
But so far from following the evidence. They took Council to put him to death. And also west end of chapter 12 decided to put Lazarus to death as well because on the kinds of him verse 11 or chapter 12 many were following Jesus and believing in him. So you see the picture rather than follow the evidence. They wanted to eradicate it. And I think this is a common pattern for mankind is lit. Let's think remember what motivated the chief priests? Why did they behave like this? What cuz you look like the rest of us. They wanted to avoid trouble. They can save the writing on the wall. They could see the implications of folding this Jesus Christ a life. They already made very uncomfortable for the blinds man hit him from the synagogue tonight and they could see the writing on the wall paying you. Well if we follow this chap, Something similar is going to happen to us.
It's okay to be comfortable.
And I wanted to be comfortable. They wanted to you to maintain that we have like they want you to be safe in this life. They wanted to retain their position. They wanted to retain the respect to the people around them not to be on the outside. They wanted like the rest of us to be on the inside.
Who wouldn't?
If you don't see, how is it that they suppress the evidence at well, they they tried to get rid of it in that case. How do we try to suppress the evidence today, which is by avoiding the Bible in a surprising way. I thought it's a fairly harmless book. It's been around for 2000 years. But actually people go out of their way to avoid it Sunday and people say well in the multiples, of course weekend around system inside ourselves. Because if you need to pick on sister life, where'd you look in the 21st century where you look within, don't you?
You ever dreamt of looking at another period of time it popped my red with e? No, it's old generation. Where the scientific generation we follow Brian Cox Richard Dawkins where the sophisticated know-it-all generation. Are we? Why ever would we look to another generation Freddy ounces of tool? We've got it. All right now it's all within us.
That's like Melissa fisticated more religious version goes to bed like this. Doesn't it? I would of course I've read the Bible and examine the evidence and I've looked at it and done it. But if you ask when did you do it? How much time did you invested in a problem the answer comes back while it was when I was 15 or 16 at school and I had to do is find My GCSE already and then I had to go on to the most gospel. When was the last time you actually opened up John's accounts of Jesus life and read it with a prayer along the lines of help me God if you're that to see who Jesus says. I don't want to stand what he did. That's what it is to genuinely examine. The evidence is not to take from the BBC documentary Order channel 4 at dad version of who this person is.
Karachi to go back to the eyewitness accounts of the people who were there with him 24 hours a day 7 days a week for 3 years. And the only way to get back to that testimony is to open up this book and to read it. Honestly prayerfully. Please do take one. If you haven't done recently. This book is God's way of seeing and knowing who Jesus is Jesus is God's way of giving us life in his glory with him. He is the one who called out to the doctor looked at Lazarus into the light of this life. And it starts wasn't enough to die. He went on to rise again and he is the only person who can and will cool each of us. That's what the doctor looked at. inside the Glorious light of God's presence
May God grant us wisdom. And sense to take out Jones book about him. To be able to see that he is God's rescue a king to trust that he came to die on the cross to provide a full and free apartment forgiveness before the day comes when he summons aside to the. Tunnel two-faced God. Because that day will be the day when we Face God is our judge.
God grant that we may be fine trusting in his son and what he has done when that day comes maybe maybe realtor at live this life as Martha and Mary. in Humble service and personal devotion seeing that nothing is too much to do for him and to give for his work. He has given himself that we may be in glory with him. Let's pray.
Oh mighty God. We thank you very much for the wonderful records that you have inspired by your Holy Spirit through the eyewitnesses. You're with your son when he came and please I can a student work if you'll spit the wisdom to open up these books about him. That we may know him today. The one who alone is able to cool us out to the. Tunnel into your glorious life and presents.