Sunday April 7, 2019

Our lesson this morning in I know that you have been here for our last couple of Sundays. If you didn't the services are online at our Facebook page Burlington Church of God, and you can check it out there. But for the last couple of weeks we've been talking about and we had two weeks the we use that time to look at what makes Jesus weep.

In scripture tells us the weeping may last. Through the evening, but joy comes in the morning. Joy comes in this morning the message moves from Lazarus being in the Tomb and Lazarus being Resurrected.

and the Jews Who have been set on? Arresting and putting Jesus to death now are even more in. insistent that they are going to do so But it's all in God's plan, isn't it? For this reason our lord Jesus came. But he might be the sacrificial lamb the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and how is that going to happen? How is his arrest in his death going to happen unless the Jews are in.

Raised up in there their anger towards him.

And this morning we are looking at Jesus is Worthy of our worship.

Actually, the word worship is worth ship. He's worth our worship of him. He's worthy Worthy is the Lamb.

And John has a unique story that we are getting into in John and chapter 12 verse 1 through 11.

Let me tell you what I think about the story and what is going on. As we get inside of John's story and unpack what is there for us today? Is a beautiful thing when the worth of Jesus and the love of his followers match. Is it not? the worth of Jesus and the love I'm Jesus through his followers match.

When the value of his Perfections and the intensity of our affections correspond, it is a beautiful thing.

But the opposite is suicidal. when they don't and the contrast in this story as we go through it John tells us not only. of the worship of our Lord Jesus Christ, but the selfishness of mankind and how they are juxtaposed how they clash with each other. how Stark indifferent You'll see. Jesus is Worthy.

of resurrection power but we can be more specific and put our finger on this in the story in the worth of Jesus. Mary and Martha Are gathered together? the home of Lazarus and Lazarus is there. He is raised from the dead Hallelujah. He's raised and he is there in there is a dinner that is being prepared.

for Jesus it's celebration of who he is. And it's Thanksgiving. to him and for him

Let us listen to the story as John gives it to us in these verses.

6 days before the Passover that gives you a time frame

This is happening 6 days before the celebration in Jerusalem of the Passover supper.

And Jesus has come now to Bethany just two miles outside of the great city of Jerusalem. And this is where Lazarus lived whom Jesus had raised from the dead. the brother whom Jesus had loved

and hear a dinner was being given to honor Jesus Martha is in her natural place serving. Aren't we glad that there are Martha's in this world?

Those who willingly love to serve others to give to others, you know, a Martha or two. Maybe you are a Martha and praise God for Martha's.

Because Lazarus is relaxing and reclining at the table with Jesus and the other disciples. Those who are being honored at this meal.

and Mary Is being Mary? Last time we saw her and Martha was bothered because Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to him teach.

and she said Master won't you tell my sister to get in the kitchen then and help me or she's moved on beyond that now that

Lazarus their brother has been raised.

Barry took a pint of pure nard a very expensive perfume. Summer said they came all the way from India are rare and precious commodity. And a pint of pure nard. would be about 11 and 1/2 oz or roughly the the container of a coke bottle the can of Coke so you can imagine it is a good size of expensive perfume.

And this precious commodity she poured onto the feet of Jesus. And it says that she wiped his feet. with her hair and the house was filled with the fragrance the wonderful Aroma of this perfume. The whole house was filled.

but this wonderful scent

she had spared no expense to Lavish this on to Jesus.

Some of speculated she poured some over his head in an anointing then then she poured it on his feet and she used her hair to wipe his feet in incense. If you remember the story of Jesus and his disciples gathering in the upper room. Normally a servant would wash the feet of those who come in to have supper as they take their sandals off and leave them at the door. your feet are dirty because you walked across the dirty and Dusty Rhodes But there was no servant to wash their feet and none of them were acquainted get down and wash the feet of one another so Jesus, it says took his outer robe wrapped himself with a towel and took a basin of water and washed their feet and likewise. We see this imagery here as she is anointing his feet with oil and taking her hair. And wiping his feet. And the perfume fragrance filled the room but one of the disciples by name Judas Iscariot who was later to betray him objected. He objected to what was happening. Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor

it was worth a Year's wages.

Kenu to the Denarius how much the worth of that perfume was? How costly it was an in his mind. It was a waste.

It was wasted on Jesus. It could have been.

Learn the truth because John. considered the Beloved of Jesus wrote these words down for us to know the heart. The man who just said that he did not say this because he cared about the poor verse excelsus John explains to us, but because he was a thief as Keeper of the money bag as the disciples treasurer. He used to help himself to what was put into the purse for his own personal needs. So his concern and Care was it for the poor it was for poor. Judas

he was concerned that that money be put in that he might have use of that. It was a waste. waste

poured on Jesus leave her alone. Jesus replied it was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you and that is true. But Jesus said is true. You'll always have the poor among you there will always be poor people in need. But you will not always have me.

I'm worthy of you giving attention to me care to me.

Extravagant love and care for me. I will not be with you. Always he knew that because he knew where he was going.

He was going to the cross and I want you to know in my heart of hearts as I have read this story over again.

I want to believe that as Jesus hung on that price. As the sweat and blood came down from the crown of thorns upon his head In the Heat of the day as it was coming down that there was some residue from that expensive perfume. The came down and walked into his nostrils. Perhaps it as he swept and bled on that cross the aroma of the perfume came up from his feet even. into his nostrils and he could remember the love and the worship that was given to him that day by a grateful Sister Mary. Jesus had raised her brother Lazarus from the dead.

Meanwhile, John tells us a large crowd of Jews. Found out that Jesus was there and came not only because of him Jesus but also to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. He was now a celebrity. And rightly. So how many people do you know that have been raised from the dead end? Wouldn't you want to go and beat that man and all of Jerusalem was coming out?

So the chief priests made plans not only to kill Jesus but to kill Lazarus as well for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.

Can anybody say amen? That's good news. Amen, it is good news.

You see many of these religious leaders. We're Pharisees, but many were Sadducees and Pharisees believe that there was a life after this life. The Sadducees did not they believe that you were you lived on only in the stories that your children and your children's children would tell about you they would they would tell the stories and keep You will live in the stories. And so all of their teaching was predicated on there is no life after this. And so when Lazarus died and then was raised from the dead.

They gave Credence to who Jesus said he was and there were those who were leaving following them and coming after. the teacher the rabbi Jesus

And they were jealous and they were angry. And they wanted to put him to death.

Here are three things that I would like you to take away from the story. Three things about Jesus being worthy of our worship number one Mary worship. Our Lord Jesus Christ in our worship was lovingly given to Jesus. She loved him.

before he had raised Lazarus from the dead but when her brother who was dead to her was given back to her alive. It engendered such a love and appreciation and Thanksgiving and when we come to our Lord and worship, we should worship Him lovingly.

For he's worthy of our love because he loved us for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him. Should not perish but have everlasting life. Love God loved us and we are to love him in our worship for He's Worthy. Secondly Mary in her worship of Jesus. It was lavishly given. When you worship our Lord, are you lavish with your love on him? Do spare no expense for your love for Jesus and coming to him. There is nothing I would not do for my Lord. Because he died for me.

What more could I do for him? But to spend my life. In serving him.

Lavishly that whole word lavish. I love it. If you ever had to be lavish love on you. lavish their time on you lavish giving you.

the best that they have

for Judas didn't get it.

This is

we could have sold this and in gotten a whole years of wages.

and yet even though he missed and opportunity We missed an opportunity for eternal life. He missed out on everything that was going on because he was so blinded and so selfish and so me centered. It's not about me. It's not about you. It's all about him. He is worthy of our worship. Did we give it lovingly? And that we lavish. Our Praise on our gratitude and our love upon him and lastly As I look at Mary and how she responded to Jesus in her worship Mary Mary in her worship. It was liberally given to Jesus. It was complete abandoned.

She loved him with complete abandon.

And I see that in the not only did she bring this bile. Expensive perfume and pour it on him, but it says that she wiped his feet with her hair. And that meant that a good Jewish woman. Many of you don't realize that in Bible times and throughout the Bible a woman's hair is her crowning Glory.

if there for a woman would have always kept her hair covered with a shawl

she would have had a covering over her head and at this time she not only took the covering off, but she let down her hair.

And her hair was long and beautiful, but she didn't show it off to anyone because it was Unthinkable and the room was filled with men.

And her being a single woman would never have shown her beautiful hair to anyone but her husband. And here she uncovers her head. Takes her hair down. And wipes the feet of Jesus even in touching a man when you're single in that culture. What's a taboo? So revealing her hair and wiping? His feet with her hair. She broke all sorts of barriers.

She was very liberal. in her day

But she was so caught up in the moment of Love lavishly pouring her love lovingly giving to the Lord. That she cared not what anybody thought. Have you ever gotten to that place? You don't care what other people think you're going to raise your hands in your going to Praise Jesus. You're going to shout hallelujah. Maybe that was too loud for you. It couldn't be loud enough. I want the Lord to know I love him with all of my heart soul mind and strength. I love him.

Hallelujah, he is Lord. He is worthy of my worship and I need to give it an Express it lovingly I need to Lavish it over him. Giving him my best. and I need to break out of all of the taboos and happy liberal. Am I giving of my not caring what other people think? Falling prostate down on my face worshipping God. I don't care what other people think. Because it's between me and my Lord. Not between me and you. You and me.

Fathers my thoughts as I look at John explaining what is happening?

and Jesus risked the ridicule of people this woman risked ridicule of others including Judas who said what are you doing woman? Are you doing these things? This is breaking every taboo. And most of all you were wasting this precious perfume on Jesus. Did he think it a waste? He rebuked Judas he rebuked Judas in saying to him.

What I see here leave her alone because you do not always have me with you number to leave her alone because the poor you will always have with you. Number 3 leave her alone so that she may keep it for the day my vario. Do not hinder her do not stop her. Let her do this thing for me.

My mind's eye. I see the perfume rising up into his nostrils even as he was being tortured and giving up his life. He thought about the worship in the love of Mary and of all of us who loved him. Love him for what he did for us on Calvary. Is he worthy of Our Praise this morning? Would you stand with me?