The Gift To A King Pt.3

What Do You Give A Savior

Isaiah 9:6–7 NLT

6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

We purpose the question today family and friends why put Jesus to death?

As we look at our last gift to our Lord and Savior from the Magi, which was Myrrh, we ask the question, why put Jesus to death? Myrrh was representative for this. It signified Jesus Death.

You ask how Pastor P? What significance does Myrrh have to do with death. Well several things point to it.

Myrrh was also used to anoint in spiritual ceremonies. We talked last week about how Frankincense was used as a incense in the temple of God as a sweet fragrance. Where myrrh would be heated up and broken down into a liquid form. Creating a very floral aromatic smell. It would then be applied to what was being anointed. Myrrh belonged to the divine world and there was considered to only be used in divine worship.

Myrrh was symbolic for Jesus Divine Nature

Mark 14:3–8 NLT

3 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head. 4 Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. 5 “It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly. 6 But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me? 7 You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time.

Listen we talked about Royal protocols, Priestly protocols and this was what you did for burials and so it was called Burial Protocols. This woman was operating in the prophetic and following divine direction.

She saw Jesus as more then a man. He was divine, He was God. She recognized that. He was called ho christos, which means the anointed one.

Philippians 2:6–8 NLT

6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

I’m reminded of Pat Tillman was a pro football player who had a successful career with the Arizona Cardinals. He was wealthy, and had a prominent position in society. But he stepped down from that position, he retired from football to join the army in which he gave it all up for his country men, for serving and protecting us. He died on April 22, 2004. By friendly fire.

This is much like Christ in that He gave up His position to come and lay his life down for his people, for His church. Oh what a wonderful savior we have. A true Hero for all of mankind. Amen!

Myrrh was used for all sorts of medical purposes. It would be put into wine as a from of a pain killer. This was given to the individual who was suffering from agonizing pain. It was a narcotic.

Mark 15:23 NLT

23 They offered him wine drugged with myrrh, but he refused it.

You see Jesus didn’t want anything to interfere with the ultimate plan of His death and resurrection. He made it a point to take the full brunt of all of man’s sins.

He made it appoint to accept death so that we can accept life.

Mark 10:38 NLT

38 But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?”

Myrrh was symbolic for Jesus Human Nature (all though be it perfect, still human)

1 Peter 2:20–24 NLT

20 Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you. 21 For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. 22 He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. 23 He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. 24 He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.

Listen Christ is the perfect example of dying to self to be raised up in Him.

My Favorite Illustrations An Unpopular Sermon

Dr. R. G. Lee preached a sermon in which he got on sin hot and heavy. Afterward an irate lady said, “Dr. Lee, I didn’t like that sermon!” Dr. Lee replied, “Neither did the devil, sister.”

Hebrews 4:15 NLT

15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.

Finally at the death of Christ he was wrapped in proper burial garments which had been prepared with 100 pounds of myrrh and aloes. 100 pounds! This was a burial for any one of importance.

The more the of the spices you had wrapped in burial suit, the more you were able to keep the smell of death down. So they perfumed the deceased. Again you had to be well off to afford the amount used on Jesus burial. It was more then likely kept with the precious metals and other valuables.

John 19:38–42 NLT

38 Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away. 39 With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. 40 Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth. 41 The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. 42 And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

This was a pleasing smell to God, no different but so different then the offers made in times past by the priest in the temple of God.

Ephesians 5:2 NLT

2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

Myrrh was symbolic for Jesus Perfect Death

So I close by asking you this question again, I have done it every week as a way for you to think about the question.

What do you give a King?

What do you give a High Priest?

Finally. What do you give a Savior?

There is nothing you can give to any of these positions except your life. Give your whole self to the one true God who has given so much for you.

John 3:16–18 NLT

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.

Amen. Let’s Pray.