Matthew 26:1-16 "The Fragrance of Christ"

Matthew 26:1-16 "The Fragrance of Christ" Marc Transparenti / General The King's Cross | Matthew 26-27 Good Morning Calvary Chapel Lake City! • Parents you may dismiss your kids! • If you don't have a Bible... • Announcements: • Thank you for your prayers and those of you who stayed in touch to check on our family as we were getting back on our feet health wise. • Please continue to pray for the various families in our fellowship not here today, recovering from various illnesses. • Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. day. I've gotten to know the Interim President at Grace College a little bit, Dr. Teevan, and he recently shared thoughts on this day. • Some brief excerpts. He wrote, "The purpose of MLK day is not to patronize him as a saint... but to renew our commitment to his commitments. I want to emphasize three aspects of his leadership and urge us to follow three aspects even as we honor his memory. • 1. MLK's fundamental understanding of human beings was that we are all created in the image of God. There are no exceptions, no rankings, no alternative views. • 2. While he was a forceful man and though he died in violence, he was committed to nonviolence. • 3. MLK had a focus on justice. Evangelicals, including me, in his day were overfocused on righteousness and neglectful of justice. Today it is common to overfocus on justice and neglect righteousness. ...we are capable of holding those two values in balance without resorting to extremes. Let's pursue that balance together." • John's full paper is over at the welcome table. • If you are new to Calvary Chapel...I'm Pastor Marc, welcome! Thanks for joining us today! • Welcome Card & Prayer Basket! ------------------------------------------------------------ Please turn in your bibles to Matthew 26. We are now in a New Year... 2022... and a New Theme as we look at Matthew chapters 26-27. For the past three months... since October... our theme was "The King's Ministry in Jerusalem." We looked at Jesus' final ministry moments in Jerusalem during the Passover week... starting with The Triumphal Entry. • Scholars estimate that around 2 million Jews would gather at Jerusalem during the feasts... • ... and this massive crowd was the crowd who welcomed Jesus as He rode into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey... shouting "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' Hosanna in the highest!" • Jesus taught them and healed them... ministered to His creation in love. • But by the end of this week... this same crowd would be swayed by the Pharisees and they would turn on Jesus... repeatedly crying out, "Crucify Him." • There will be a theme of betrayal in these chapters... Jesus is betrayed not only by the people, but also by His own people... by His disciples. • Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. • Peter betrayed Jesus denying Him 3x. • The rest of the disciples fled once Jesus was arrested. • John, alone, stayed near during the trials and crucifixion. • The chapters ahead are hard... emotionally taxing because they portray the account of the brutal passion and death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. • But, His death was not at the hand of the Jews who shouted, "Crucify Him!" • Nor the Religious Leaders who master minded Jesus' murder. • Nor Pilate who knew Jesus was innocent, but gave the order anyway to appease the crowds and avoid riots. • And, Jesus' death was not at the hand of the Roman soldiers who tortured Him, and pierced His hands and feet as they hung Him on the cross. • No one took Jesus' life... He freely gave it to redeem mankind. He was in total control. • Earlier in His ministry, Jesus said... John 10:17-18 "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father." This is what we will observe in Matthew 26-27, and why I've titled the general theme of these chapters, "The King's Cross." • We all have a cross to bear... Some of the married ladies are thinking, "Yeah, and I'm sitting right next to him." That's not what I'm talking about. The cross you bear is not marriage. Don't elbow your spouse. • In Mark 8:34-38, Jesus is recorded speaking about the cross we all must bear IF we are truly His. • We read, "When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." • What a great parallel to today's passage as we will see Mary taking up her cross and Judas betraying the Lord. • The cross we must bear to follow Christ, is denying our core self-centeredness, and submitting our very lives to follow Jesus. • Paul said in Rom 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." • For all that Jesus did for us, as we will see in Matthew 26-27, it is reasonable that we stop serving ourselves and show our faith by our works (as James said). • But, the cross we bear pales in comparison to "The King's Cross" as we will see. Matthew 26-27 is sobering. These chapters come off the tail end of the Olivet Discourse, and pick up on the same day, Tuesday of the Passion Week. Now in the afternoon, and still on the Mount of Olives... just Jesus and His disciples. Let's pick up in V1... The title of today's sermon is "The Fragrance of Christ." Let's Pray! Matthew 26:1-2 "Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings [speaking about The Olivet Discourse... Matthew 24-25], that He said to His disciples, 2 "You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified." 1. So, with these two verses, we observe a transition. Jesus finished answering the disciples questions about end times, and then shifts their attention to the present. To what was at hand... after two days Jesus would be crucified. a. This was late Tuesday afternoon... which in Jewish reckoning... the next day begans at sundown... so this would be the start of Wednesday. b. Thursday afternoon, the Passover lamb would be slaughtered... which was Friday by Jewish reckoning. c. Christians call this "Good Friday." d. In 2022, Fri, April 15th is both Good Friday and the beginning of Passover. 2. In V2, note... again No recorded response by the disciples. They were very silent during the Olivet Discourse, and they remain silent. It's a lot to take in. a. This is Jesus 4th major passion prediction. "... the Son of Man [Jesus' favorite messianic title for Himself] will be delivered up to be crucified." b. Several other times, Jesus hinted at or alluded to His death and resurrection, but beginning in Jesus' third year of ministry... He began to explicitly and prophetically foretell His own death... i. In V2 He gives a timestamp... in two days I will be crucified. And, that's exactly what happened. Jesus' words were true. c. Matt 16:21 was Jesus' 1st major passion prediction..."From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day." i. He foretold the place (Jerusalem); the main antagonists (the Jewish religious leaders); and He foretold His death and resurrection three days later. d. The 2nd major passion prediction was in Matt 17:22-23 Jesus said to His disciples, "The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up." e. And, the 3rd major passion prediction... Matt 20:18-19 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again." i. This time predicting the role of the Romans and how they will mock, scourge, and crucify Him... all literally fulfilled. And, His resurrection... also literally fulfilled. f. It's worthy to note that Jesus predicted His resurrection in these first three passion predictions. i. It was important for the disciples to have this hope that death was not His end. ii. It's important that we too have this hope that death is not the end. There is life after death. 1. Too many people live life for the here and now. Still living by the motto, 'Let us eat, drink, and be merry." 2. There is more to life then the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain. 3. Faith would have us see beyond this world... trusting in the rich promises of eternity, and not in the uncertain riches of this world... which is thematic in our message today. 3. Continuing on... Matt 26:3-5 "Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4 and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. 5 But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people." 1. So, here we see all the big wigs of Jewish religious leadership gathering to plot against Jesus. a. They gather at the high priests palace (which I have a slide rendering of)... it was massive. i. Besides their generous priestly wages... remember... the high priestly family was known for corruption... overcharging the people for sacrificial animals... excess exchange rates for money changing... they were ripping off people by the millions... thus they could afford a palace... which testified of their dishonesty. b. The high priest here is named "Caiaphas" which is a little confusing when you cross reference other verses like... i. Luke 3:2 "while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness." ii. Acts 4:6 specifically names Annas the high priest, and mentions Caiaphas by name only. iii. John 18:13 testifies that Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas. So, at some point Caiaphas married Annas' daughter, and some scholars believe this was arranged to legitimize his high priesthood. iv. I have a slide of a painting representing these guys. They look kind of grumpy to me... and I think here's why... c. Annas truly was the high priest, but was deposed in 15 A.D. by the Roman prefect Valerius Gratus. i. Gratus was the 4th Roman Prefect of Judaea from 15 to 26 A.D., when he was replaced by Pontius Pilate...who we first encounter in Matt 27. ii. When Valerius Gratus removed Annas as high priest, he appointed an obscure high priest, then Joseph Caiaphas from 18-36 A.D. iii. This move was against mosaic law, since the high priest was a lifelong position as pictured in Num 35 and Josh 20. 1. Thus, in scripture, Annas is referred to as high priest because he was the legitimate high priest... and certainly was a behind the scenes influence. 2. Now, notice the hypocrisy of these religious elites. It should make your stomach turn... the Holy Spirit saw fit to have Matthew record they "... plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him." a. Trickery or deception. This will become thematic in these chapters, and it's always sad. b. These religious elite were supposed to be models of holiness... lights in the world... a guide for the people... the fragrance of God. c. But, during the Passover... a week FILLED with symbolism pointing to Messiah... this is when the religious leaders decide to plot... and deceive... and murder. i. But, not during the Passover feast... not for fear of God, but because of the people... they feared an uproar among the people. ii. It's a sad reflection of one's heart when the mind is centered more upon man than God. 3. These religious elites say "not during the feast." But, what did Jesus say in V2? "... after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified." a. The most powerful religious men said not during Passover, exactly opposite of what Jesus said, and who was right? Jesus. b. Over and over in this chapter you will see a theme... God is in control. i. Throughout the Old Testament, and in the New... there are numerous prophecies and allusions that Jesus would die as the Passover Lamb... betrayed... mocked... beaten... crucified. All predicted, and unfolded just as the various writers of scripture said it would. ii. So, when we read about all of these horrible things against Jesus... know... God was in control... fulfilling prophecy... redeeming mankind... saving and reconciling the lost. iii. And, no one could stop it. The religious elites said, not during Passover. But, for all their power... they had no power. God's sovereign control is on display here. iv. And, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Heb 13:8) God is still in control. 1. We can look out and see our country turning from God... God's still in control. 2. In many countries, there are mass persecutions against Christians... God's still in control. 3. This world seems like it's spinning out of control into darkness, but I assure you... God's in control. 4. For the disciples who watched Jesus taken by force, brutalized and put to death... I'm sure they thought God lost control, but they were wrong. Chapter 26 is a testimony that God's plan was unfolding and NO MAN could stop it. 5. Paul said, in Phil 2:7-8 of Jesus that He "... made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." a. That was God's plan... and that's what happened. b. After the last supper, and Jesus' predictions of Judas' betrayal, Jesus' departure, and Peter's denials... the disciples were troubled, and Jesus said to them, John 14:1-3 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." c. How often would the disciples need to remember these words?... these promises that Jesus had a plan and they should trust and not be troubled. d. As Christians today, trust and don't let your hearts be troubled. God has not lost control. i. You just make sure you don't lose control. Just as we will see with Judas... he lost himself in covetousness... and it cost him his relationship with the Lord and his very life. 4. Let's take a look... starting in V6... Matthew now tells the account of Mary anointing Jesus.... which is a beautiful account of honoring our Lord... set between accounts of betrayal and plotting against Jesus. a. Quick side-note: This account may have been earlier in the week. Some scholars place this event on Saturday prior to Palm Sunday... as seen in John's gospel, but for Matthew... he is primarily concerned with theme over chronology... and his theme is shifting to the preparation of the Lord for His passion, and the betrayal by Judas Iscariot. Matthew 26:6-13 "And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, [the former now healed leper] 7 a woman [identified in John's Gospel, as Mary of Bethany... the sister of Martha and Lazarus...] came to Him having an alabaster [a white or translucent stone] flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table." 1. John identifies the oil as "spikenard"... a costly imported oil worth about a years wages for a common working person in the first century. John tells us the value was 300 denarii... 300 days wages. a. Today, the cost has gone down significantly... a little 5ml bottle of doTerra Spikenard retails for $66... and Mary had a pound of this oil... which would be valued at about $6000 today, so still costly. b. Now... Mary could have saved this for her wedding, or sold it as a form of retirement funds, or whatever her pleasure, but that's not what she did. c. For Mary, the value of honoring and loving Jesus was greater then the value of the oil. The loss of value was a great sacrifice, and yet no sacrifice, because, to Mary, nothing was too great for Jesus. 2. Matthew and Mark note she anointed His head. John says she anointed His feet and wiped His feet with her hair. So, from His head to His feet, she anointed and honored Him. a. Mary is quite the exceptional person. We always find her at the feet of Jesus. i. I especially appreciate the scene where Martha gets all worked up because Mary won't help serve and Martha complains to Jesus. ii. Jesus responds, Luke 10:41-42 "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." 1. One thing is needed, and that is to turn our attention to Him, and not worry about the busy-ness of this world. 2. MacDonald wrote, "Our Lord prizes our affection above our service. Occupation with Himself is the one thing needful, that good part which will not be taken away. "The Lord wants to convert us from Marthas into Marys." 3. One thing is needful... it's not the cares of this world... it's your heartfelt worship of our Lord. iii. The disciples failed to see this beautiful act of Mary... look at V8... Matt 26:8-13 "But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste? 9 For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor." 10 But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. 11 For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. 12 For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. 13 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her." 1. So, the disciples were indignant, by def. "to grieve much." a. John tells us the ringleader and voice of protest was Judas Iscariot. b. John 12:4-6 records, "...one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, 5 "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii 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 money box; and he used to take what was put in it." c. Judas was a thief and his motive of protesting against Mary anointing Jesus was not for the poor, but for selfish gain. And, the other disciples were caught up. i. Be careful that you do not fall under the influence of someone else's wickedness. ii. Here the disciples protested against how someone else worships the Lord. Don't do that. That's between them and the Lord. d. In King David's day... when the Ark was brought to Jerusalem... there was much honor and worship given to the LORD. Sacrifices... shouting... trumpets... it was quite the parade of worship. i. David danced before the LORD with all his might... in just a "lined ephod"... a robe... and was scolded by his wife for his display. ii. We read in 2 Sam 6:20-23 "Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said [sarcastically], "How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!" 21 So David said to Michal, "It was before the LORD... • [David's motives had nothing to do with slave girls... it was an honest act of worship before the LORD] "It was before the LORD, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. [David recounts God's faithfulness] Therefore I will play music before the LORD. 22 And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. [David was only concerned with sincere worship and God's evaluation of him, not of man.] But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor." [Soberly, that chapter ends with this note...] 23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death." 1. Do not concern yourself with how someone else worships the Lord. The disciples and Michal were indignant over someone else's worship. But, Mary, who anointed Jesus, and David who danced before the LORD, stood justified before the God. 2. Look how Jesus responds to the disciples... Judas said, V8 "Why this waste?" and in V10 Jesus defends her worship, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me." a. Mary could have been accused of many things... i. Lavish worship... ii. Generous giving... iii. Great sacrifice... iv. But, NOT waste. Her great sacrifice and offering of worship to Jesus was not wasted. v. It was noticed by God. Jesus recognized her sincere worship. b. I like how Mark 14:8 records Jesus' commendation of her, "She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial." i. It seems Mary comprehended Jesus' passion predictions closer than the disciples... instead of fighting God's plan... instead of running from God's will (as the disciples will do)... she did what she could. ii. She aligned herself with God's will, and prepared Jesus' body for His burial. 1. True, they could have sold the oil for the poor, but there would be no shortage of opportunities to minister to the poor, as Jesus stated in V11. 2. But, He would not always be with them. His time on earth was short. And, Mary took this once in a lifetime opportunity to worship Jesus in a very special way... an intimate way... using her hair to anoint His feet... iii. In some sense Mary understood what lie ahead, where the disciples missed it. They look like fools in this scene... missing the opportunity to worship and honor Jesus. iv. Jesus stated in V13 that her act of worship would be memorialized in the whole world... and since this account is recorded in scripture... her worship has be memorialized for all eternity. 1. Isa 40:8 "The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever." 2. Jesus said, in Matt 24:35 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." 3. What act of worship have you extended to the Lord, that will be spoken of in eternity? a. I think we will be surprised in heaven, when we receive crowns of righteousness and crowns of glory for our honest acts of worship to God. b. What you do now in this lifetime to honor God, will be recognized in eternity. c. And, there's also a blessing for your worship in this lifetime. i. John 12:3 records this detail, "Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil." ii. In this act of worship, not only did Jesus' body become prepared for burial, but Mary also took on the same fragrance as the Lord. iii. The humble act of using her hair to anoint His feet. And, her hands to anoint His head...Her body would also share in the same fragrance as the Lord. iv. And, the whole house would share in this same fragrance. v. And, that's what happens with true worship to the Lord. When we find ourselves at Jesus' feet in worship, we take on His fragrance. 1. We become prepared for the world and conversations we will have on any given day... our speech is with grace, seasoned with salt... our mind in like-minded with Christ... the fragrance of God is upon us. 2. About a month ago, a coach made some careless and hurtful comments about one of my kids, and in my flesh I was going to let him have it... and not in love. 3. The morning of the call I was praying with other Pastors in the area, and someone prayed generically about forgiveness... and it pierced my heart and prepared me to extend forgiveness and to speak truth in love to this coach. a. As I sat at Jesus' feet, I took on the fragrance of the Lord, and the coach was moved to tears by the forgiveness extended to him. 4. When you worship God, you take on the fragrance of the Lord, and people in your life partake in that blessing. a. If your life is in disarray... if your home life... your marriage... your personal life is shambles... then please examine yourself... how's your devotional life? b. How's your prayer life? Are you sitting at Jesus' feet as Mary did, and taking on His fragrance? c. Are you sacrificing to the Lord? Which typically falls into one of two categories... time and money. Mary gave both and has be memorialized. d. There's something that happens to us... there's something that happens to our homes... when we sacrificially worship God and take on His fragrance. 5. And, not only to our homes, but also to the world. a. As Paul wrote, 2 Cor 2:14-16 "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. [God uses you and I to share His truth, love, and light in this world of darkness] 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?" b. To saved believers, the fragrance of Christ on us is recognized as a sweet, life-giving aroma. c. To the unsaved, who reject Jesus, the fragrance of Christ stands in opposition to sin which brings death. And, death stinks of decay. d. But, even to a dying world, your fragrance of Christ stands as a testimony of the only truth... the only life... the only light. 3. Wrapping up... Vss 14-16... Matt 26:14-16 "Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, "What are you willing to give me [underline those words "give me" for they reveal Judas' motive.] if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. 16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him." 1. Judas' sin was covetousness. He was a thief who stole from the money box, and betrayed Jesus for selfish gain. a. Quite the contrast to Mary's selfless devotion... her sacrificial worship. b. Judas walked with Jesus for three years, and heard all His teachings... witnessed the miracles... and still betrayed Jesus. 2. There are only two ways I know how to reconcile... or make sense of... why Judas betrayed our Lord. a. The first is prophecy. Zech 11:12-13 reads, "Then I said to them, "If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain." So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. 13 And the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter"-that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD for the potter." i. This prophecy was fulfilled in Judas' betrayal of Christ and the potter's field was later purchased with the blood money Judas threw in the Temple... which we will see in Matt 27. ii. And, remember... God is in control... right down to Judas' betrayal fulfilling prophecy. b. The second way I know how to reconcile Judas' betrayal is covetousness... the sin of desiring more... purely for selfish gain. i. If you desire God to enlarge your borders, so you can have greater kingdom impact, and you actually use your resources for those purposes... that's not covetousness. ii. But, I believe Judas walked with Jesus, under the same mantra he said to the chief priest in V15... "What are you willing to give me...?" iii. Perhaps Judas realized Jesus was not going to establish His kingdom at this time, so he settled for whatever he could get. 1. And, he was offered thirty measly silver coins, which according to Ex 21:32 was the price for a gored slave. "If the ox gores a male or female servant, he shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned." a. How could the chief priests and Judas think so lowly of the Lord? 2. And, even if the price was much higher... even the whole world... all it's riches... all the power... that still would have been a bad deal in light of eternity. a. Jesus said, in Matt 16:26, "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" b. The salvation of your soul holds a far greater price then anything the world has to offer. That's how valuable eternity is. c. Don't betray Jesus for 30 coins... or 30 billion coins... it's not worth it. c. V16 sadly states of Judas, "So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him." i. Spurgeon wrote, "As long as the church exists, I suppose she will have traitors among her number, for if Judas intruded under the watchful eye of the Chief Shepherd, we may be pretty sure that many a Judas will elude the far less watchful eyes of the minor shepherds." ii. Judas would not be the last to come under the influence of covetousness. iii. I'm reminded of the sad words that Paul penned to Timothy... some of Paul's last words ever written... 2 Tim 4:9-10, "Be diligent to come to me quickly; 10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica-... " 1. We don't know a lot about Demas, but this final testimony of him is the same as that of Judas. 2. They rejected following the Lord, having loved this present world. iv. As Rom 1:25 states, they "... exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen." v. The rejection of God by mankind is not a reflection of God Himself, no matter what a person says about God. 1. No... the rejection of God is a reflection upon a wicked and covetous heart. 2. That is the lesson of this day! a. Judas said, 'what for me?' b. And, Mary demonstrated, 'It's ALL for the Lord.' c. Judas stunk of death, but Mary took on of the fragrance of Christ. 3. And, as you are hearing this message, I encourage you to start or continue in your devotion and worship to the Lord... sit at His feet daily... take on His fragrance... and watch your life and the world around you take on that same fragrance. Let's pray! If you are here today and something about this message has pierced your heart, and you want prayer, just ask. Maybe you know you want to be more like Mary, but sense a little Judas influence. Don't leave hear today without being vulnerable and praying with someone. That very act is the kind of sacrifice of worship that God smiles upon. Go... be the fragrance of Christ to a world... that so needs that life giving aroma. Page . Exported from Logos Bible Software, 4:25 PM January 15, 2022.