Jack Graham - Mary's Christmas

December 8, 2024 | S

Dr. Jack Graham's mission is to glorify God by introducing Jesus Christ as Lord to all people.

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Power Point with Jack Graham | Jack Graham - Mary's Christmas | December 8, 2024
  • ♪♪♪
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  • There is no person that god cannot save!
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  • There is no promise that god will not keep!
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  • There is nothing that our god cannot do!
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  • Take your bibles and turn with me to the gospel of mark,
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  • Chapter 14. and today's story from god's word is recorded in
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  • All of the gospel accounts. the title of this message is
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  • “mary's christmas.” probably not the mary you're thinking
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  • About. there are three prominent marys in the gospel.
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  • One is mary the mother of jesus and we honor her and we
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  • Celebrate her obedience in delivering the savior to the
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  • World.
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  • There's another mary that is prominent in scripture. her
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  • Name is mary magdeline. jesus delivered her from powerful
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  • Demon possession. her life was transformed. she was at the
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  • Resurrection and was one of the eye-witnesses. so mary
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  • Magdeline.
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  • But there is another mary whose christmas i want us to
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  • Understand today. and her name is mary of bethany. mary who
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  • Lived in bethany alone with her sister, martha, and her brother
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  • Lazarus. so mary, martha and lazarus lived in a place just
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  • Outside of jerusalem known as bethany. and it was a favorite
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  • Place for jesus to visit. they were close friends of christ
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  • And the disciples. but in particular i want to focus in
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  • On mary because this mary of bethany... we see her three
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  • Times in the gospels and every single time... all three times
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  • She is at one strategic singular place, at the feet of
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  • Jesus.
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  • We meet her at lazarus' death. she comes to him with a burden;
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  • She's broken by the death of her brother and she at the feet
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  • Of jesus pleads for the resurrection. we see her
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  • Another time at the feet of jesus while martha is stirring
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  • About in the kitchen, mary chooses the better part, the
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  • Better place according to jesus and she is listening to him and
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  • Learning from him at the feet of jesus. there was quite a
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  • Conflict. martha was all stressed out like some of you
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  • This christmas season, and maybe you just need to take
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  • Some time out like mary and sit at the feet of jesus just a bit
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  • In the midst of all this stress of the christmas season.
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  • But the next time we see mary at the feet of jesus is in our
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  • Text today. she came the first time with her burden in grief
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  • And sorrow. she comes the next time at the feet of jesus for a
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  • Blessing, to hear the words of christ, to look into his eyes,
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  • To linger there and long for his presence. but she comes in
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  • The case of this passage of scripture with her best... her
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  • Very best she brings to jesus. each time at the feet of jesus.
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  • Here she brings, broken and spilled out, a box of
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  • Perfume... precious ointment and she pours it out at the
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  • Feet of jesus. let's read the story from mark chapter 14,
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  • Verses 3 through 9.
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  • 3) and while he was at bethany in the house of simon the
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  • Leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an
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  • Alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she
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  • Broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4) there were
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  • Some who said to themselves indignantly, "why was the
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  • Ointment wasted like that? 5) for this ointment could have
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  • Been sold for more than three hundred denarii...
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  • That was a working man's wage for an entire year. between
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  • Somewhere around $35,000 and $40,000 based on inflation, i'm
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  • Sure.
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  • 5) you could have sold this for three hundred denarii (a
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  • Working man's wage for a year) and given to the poor.” and
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  • They scolded her. 6) but jesus said, “leave her alone. why do
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  • You trouble her? she has done a beautiful thing to me.
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  • Mark that, note that. jesus commended her and said, “she
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  • Has done a beautiful thing for me, a meaningful thing, a
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  • Worshipful thing for me.
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  • 7) for you always have the poor with you, and whenever you
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  • Want, you can do good for them. but you will not always have
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  • Me. 8) she has done what she could; she has anointed my body
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  • Beforehand for burial. 9) and truly, i say to you (watch
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  • This!), wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world,
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  • What she has done will be told in memory of her.”
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  • And that prophecy of jesus is fulfilled in your very ears
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  • Today, because we are talking about the living and lasting
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  • Legacy of this little lady who did what she could, who did all
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  • That she could, and she did it when she could in bringing her
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  • Very best to the lord. this is why i'm calling this “mary's
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  • Christmas.”
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  • Christmas is a time, of course, for gift-giving and we bring
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  • Family members and friends appropriate gifts out of love.
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  • And mary in this case is an example of gift-giving at its
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  • Highest form... gift-giving to the lord god. so let's recreate
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  • The scene here just for a moment.
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  • Lazarus has been raised from the dead. the greatest miracle,
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  • Perhaps, of all the miracles of jesus. and mary and martha and
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  • A few friends are now celebrating this new life that
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  • Lazarus has been giving; celebrating at the home of a
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  • Man named simon, called simon the leper. there's no doubt in
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  • My mind this was another man that jesus had performed a
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  • Miracle, had healed him of his leprosy. so [clears throat]
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  • They are all together, celebrating christ, celebrating
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  • The miracle that is jesus. and they would have been in the
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  • Home of simon the leper. king jesus was there... jesus and
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  • The disciples, and then, of course, mary, martha and
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  • Lazarus. and then there was simon the leper and maybe mrs.
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  • Simon the leper and the little ones from simon the leper. so
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  • It was a... it was a house full that day. and they're having
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  • Dinner, they're having a celebration. and jesus is
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  • Reclining at the table.
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  • Now they didn't sit at tables like we do today, but as in the
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  • Middle eastern fashion they would recline over a low table
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  • And have a dinner. so jesus is reclining here. and mary is
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  • Where she always is when we meet her in scripture, at the
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  • Feet of jesus. and she's just worshiping him and wondering,
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  • "what can i do... what can i give to show the lord just how
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  • Much i love him, just how much? what do i have? what can i
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  • Bring to show jesus my devotion and adoration and worship of
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  • The savior? and so she remembers a flask of expensive
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  • Ointment.
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  • She must have prepared and brought it with her for this
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  • Occasion... this perfume. it was in an alabaster box. that
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  • Was expensive in itself. that was a marble box, if you will,
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  • Or a flask out of egypt. and then we're told there was nard
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  • Or thick perfume that was in this alabaster box. and so she
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  • Goes and gets it and she breaks the box, she breaks the seal,
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  • The flask and opens it up. and she pours out on the head and
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  • The feet of jesus, not just some of it, but all of it. she
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  • Extravagantly pours it all out, anointing the lord jesus christ.
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  • Anointing is not something typically we do in our culture,
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  • But in the new testament as well as the old testament era,
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  • Anointing was a common practice. and it was a very
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  • Practical thing, by the way, to anoint with perfume in a house
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  • Because, remember, there weren't a lot of showers and
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  • Bathtubs in those days so perfume would ... would elevate
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  • The household smell. let's just put it that way. so now she
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  • Pours out this perfume on jesus. she lavishly gives it
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  • And that's when she's criticized but jesus commends
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  • Her and says wherever the gospel is preached, she will be
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  • A testimony because of her generosity... because of her
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  • Extravagant love.
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  • What a beautiful story. the humility... just an ordinary
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  • Woman. maybe she wasn't all that super talented like her
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  • Sister martha, but she did something that she could do and
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  • I suppose only she could do, and that is to bring that
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  • Alabaster box, broken, poured out... spilled out in love for
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  • The lord.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • With all the chaos of this world, global culture, law and
  • 00:11:17.032 --> 00:11:20.936
  • Ethics have all been shaped by the bible and our culture is
  • 00:11:20.936 --> 00:11:24.874
  • Always searching for a trustworthy source for morality
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  • And justice. and that source, that truth has always been
  • 00:11:27.943 --> 00:11:32.014
  • God's word. and i want to help you see god's word with brand
  • 00:11:32.014 --> 00:11:35.451
  • New, fresh eyes.
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  • In my new book, the jesus book - reading and understanding the
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  • Bible for yourself, i provide you with all the tools for
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  • Understanding and the mindset to read the bible for yourself
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  • And apply it to your life to improve and develop a deeper
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  • Relationship with god, the god who made you.
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  • The jesus book is my thanks to you today when you give your
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  • Best gift to help powerpoint continue to share the good news
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  • The world.
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  • So request your copy today. you can go to jackgraham.org.
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  • God's word is powerful. it's the story of jesus, the story
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  • Of salvation, and the scarlet thread of redemption running
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  • Through its pages from beginning to end.
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  • I pray that you'll take the step and request my new book,
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  • The jesus book, so you can see the word of god as living and
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  • Powerful in your own eyes.
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  • Thank you for being such a powerful part of god's word
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  • Through powerpoint.
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  • Changing hearts, changing lives till the whole world hears.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Why did mary do this at the time that she did it? well, she
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  • Had been listening to jesus and jesus had been talking about
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  • His death. christ is on the road to calvary. he is on his
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  • Way to jerusalem to die for the sins of the world. this is why
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  • He was born; this is why he came on this mission of
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  • Salvation. and so christ is just a few days at this point
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  • From the reason that he came to earth... to die on the cross
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  • And to rise again on the third day.
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  • Now others either weren't paying attention or didn't want
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  • To believe it, but mary believed it. she knew that
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  • Jesus was going to die in jerusalem. she didn't know how;
  • 00:14:00.029 --> 00:14:06.602
  • She didn't know what would happen, but she was... because
  • 00:14:06.602 --> 00:14:10.205
  • She had been learning and listening at his feet. she
  • 00:14:10.205 --> 00:14:14.209
  • Anointed his body for the burial. this was not just an
  • 00:14:14.209 --> 00:14:19.214
  • Extreme act, an extravagant act for nothing. but rather there
  • 00:14:19.214 --> 00:14:23.719
  • Was a purpose that he would be anointed and prepared for his
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  • Burial. when you get to the... several days later when the
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  • Women get to the empty tomb, his body is gone. had mary not
  • 00:14:32.127 --> 00:14:35.931
  • Done what she did when she did it, then the proper preparation
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  • For his burial... burial would not have happened. but mary
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  • Knew.
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  • The question is for all of us: do we live for temporal things
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  • Or eternal things? do we live to please man and do we live to
  • 00:14:50.279 --> 00:14:54.616
  • Please jesus? do we live for the applause of people or the
  • 00:14:54.616 --> 00:14:58.988
  • Approval of god?
  • 00:14:58.988 --> 00:15:02.324
  • Most of the time we have to decide, don't we, because you
  • 00:15:02.324 --> 00:15:06.962
  • Can't have both for the most part. in fact, if you choose to
  • 00:15:06.962 --> 00:15:11.033
  • Follow jesus and give your all to jesus, you will feel and
  • 00:15:11.033 --> 00:15:15.771
  • Even hear the disapproval of the world. maybe members of
  • 00:15:15.771 --> 00:15:19.641
  • Your own family. our culture is no friend to jesus and the
  • 00:15:19.641 --> 00:15:24.513
  • Followers of jesus. the culture will cancel us if they can or
  • 00:15:24.513 --> 00:15:29.985
  • If they could. but we remain faithful, seeking the approval
  • 00:15:29.985 --> 00:15:36.692
  • Of god, ignoring the criticism of others. paul said in
  • 00:15:36.692 --> 00:15:40.796
  • Galatians 1:10: “for am i now seeking the approval of man or
  • 00:15:40.796 --> 00:15:45.734
  • Of god? or am i trying to please man. if i'm still trying
  • 00:15:45.734 --> 00:15:49.638
  • To please man, i would not be a servant of christ.”
  • 00:15:49.638 --> 00:15:55.077
  • So we choose, like mary chose to ignore the criticism that
  • 00:15:55.077 --> 00:16:01.550
  • Surrounded her and to please jesus, to please god.
  • 00:16:01.550 --> 00:16:06.622
  • So then come the critics. not everyone in that room
  • 00:16:06.622 --> 00:16:11.927
  • Appreciated mary's selfless act of love. in fact, we're told,
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  • Verse 4, that there were some who said to themselves
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  • Indignantly, why was this ointment wasted like that?
  • 00:16:22.871 --> 00:16:29.578
  • Wasted!
  • 00:16:29.578 --> 00:16:31.947
  • Now it's interesting who led the charge of criticism that
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  • Day in the room. remember, there's 15 or 20 people. and
  • 00:16:35.017 --> 00:16:40.022
  • Among the disciple band there was a man by the name of judas.
  • 00:16:40.022 --> 00:16:45.727
  • And you could turn in your bibles. john identifies who was
  • 00:16:45.727 --> 00:16:50.666
  • Most vociferous and indignant in criticizing and condemning
  • 00:16:50.666 --> 00:16:58.040
  • Mary that day. "but judas iscariot, one of his disciples
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  • (he who was about to betray him), said, 'why was this
  • 00:17:03.979 --> 00:17:10.486
  • Ointment not sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor?'
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  • He said this, (and john gives us the backstage look here...)
  • 00:17:13.822 --> 00:17:17.659
  • He said this not because he cared for the poor, but because
  • 00:17:17.659 --> 00:17:21.697
  • He was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used
  • 00:17:21.697 --> 00:17:25.868
  • To help himself to what was put into it."
  • 00:17:25.868 --> 00:17:30.072
  • Judas is typical of so many today who harshly judge what
  • 00:17:30.072 --> 00:17:37.079
  • Other people do for jesus.
  • 00:17:37.079 --> 00:17:42.417
  • So many people want to do the bare minimum for the lord. just
  • 00:17:42.417 --> 00:17:53.228
  • A little bit. not everything, but something. after all,
  • 00:17:53.228 --> 00:18:02.404
  • People are now too busy to go to church or too tired to get
  • 00:18:02.404 --> 00:18:09.945
  • To worship every week. we tip god less than we pay a waitress
  • 00:18:09.945 --> 00:18:20.923
  • To serve us a meal in a restaurant. do christians
  • 00:18:20.923 --> 00:18:27.629
  • Really need to give? do christians really need to
  • 00:18:27.629 --> 00:18:29.998
  • Tithe? of course, christians should give the first tenth of
  • 00:18:29.998 --> 00:18:34.436
  • Their income to the lord. not the leftovers, not the last,
  • 00:18:34.436 --> 00:18:38.840
  • Not the least! why wouldn't we bring the first and the best
  • 00:18:38.840 --> 00:18:44.913
  • That we have to the lord? jesus said we were to tithe and then
  • 00:18:44.913 --> 00:18:50.319
  • Some. tithing... giving is not a religious duty; it is an act
  • 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:56.325
  • Of devoted obedience, an act of loving obedience to god.
  • 00:18:56.325 --> 00:19:03.265
  • Today we hear some have quiet quit... quietly quit in the
  • 00:19:03.265 --> 00:19:07.869
  • Business world. have you heard about quiet quitting? just not
  • 00:19:07.869 --> 00:19:13.375
  • Working as hard, not doing as much; just quiet quitting. it's
  • 00:19:13.375 --> 00:19:17.045
  • A problem apparently in the busy community. it's also a
  • 00:19:17.045 --> 00:19:20.816
  • Problem in the church as some have just quietly quit, stopped
  • 00:19:20.816 --> 00:19:26.154
  • Serving, stopped giving, stopped witnessing, stopped
  • 00:19:26.154 --> 00:19:28.857
  • Attending. how can we quit on the one who never quits on us?
  • 00:19:28.857 --> 00:19:38.033
  • How can we quit on the one who refused to quit on the cross
  • 00:19:38.033 --> 00:19:43.105
  • And gave it all? who laid down his life. jesus didn't save
  • 00:19:43.105 --> 00:19:48.043
  • Anything. and we ought to so live that our lives are
  • 00:19:48.043 --> 00:19:52.914
  • Expression of that love and devotion, that's willing to
  • 00:19:52.914 --> 00:19:56.518
  • Extravagantly, expensively, extensively give what we have!
  • 00:19:56.518 --> 00:20:01.757
  • The early church... those early believers... they turned the
  • 00:20:01.757 --> 00:20:06.094
  • World upside down because they were will to be bold for
  • 00:20:06.094 --> 00:20:10.799
  • Christ! why wouldn't we be bold? here's a texas word...
  • 00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:14.936
  • Bodacious, big for the glory of god?
  • 00:20:14.936 --> 00:20:19.708
  • In acts chapter 15 and verse 26 we heard of two men, paul and
  • 00:20:19.708 --> 00:20:23.545
  • Silas, of whom they risked their lives for the sake... for
  • 00:20:23.545 --> 00:20:28.884
  • The name of the lord jesus christ. they risked their
  • 00:20:28.884 --> 00:20:33.388
  • Lives. and interestingly enough, that word risk there in
  • 00:20:33.388 --> 00:20:37.059
  • Your new testament can also be translated they gambled their
  • 00:20:37.059 --> 00:20:41.430
  • Lives for the gospel. they were willing to throw it all on the
  • 00:20:41.430 --> 00:20:47.436
  • Table.
  • 00:20:47.436 --> 00:20:50.205
  • Mary's love for jesus was to show her love for him, and no
  • 00:20:50.205 --> 00:20:55.510
  • Sacrifice was too great. she said i will do what i can, i
  • 00:20:55.510 --> 00:21:03.218
  • Will do all that i can, and i will do it when i can. jesus
  • 00:21:03.218 --> 00:21:11.860
  • Commended this woman.
  • 00:21:11.860 --> 00:21:13.862
  • I was reading a sermon by dr. w. a. criswell, a spiritual
  • 00:21:13.862 --> 00:21:19.368
  • Hero of mine, now in heaven, pastored for 50 years the first
  • 00:21:19.368 --> 00:21:23.705
  • Baptist church of dallas. what a wonderful, wonderful man. but
  • 00:21:23.705 --> 00:21:28.643
  • I was reading a sermon by dr. criswell on this passage of
  • 00:21:28.643 --> 00:21:31.780
  • Mary and he said something that i had never thought about. he
  • 00:21:31.780 --> 00:21:37.152
  • Said, “as mary (jesus?) commends this woman,” he said,
  • 00:21:37.152 --> 00:21:40.122
  • “i began to look in the bible.” he said, “you know, i've been
  • 00:21:40.122 --> 00:21:42.524
  • Preaching now (then)” he said, “60 years and i don't know how
  • 00:21:42.524 --> 00:21:46.762
  • But i missed it.” he said, “not one time in the new testament
  • 00:21:46.762 --> 00:21:56.138
  • Does jesus ever condemn a woman.” i never saw that
  • 00:21:56.138 --> 00:22:05.147
  • Either. in the conversations that he had with women, whether
  • 00:22:05.147 --> 00:22:10.952
  • A woman taken in the act of adultery or a woman who was
  • 00:22:10.952 --> 00:22:14.689
  • Married multiple times at the well at samaria, or any of the
  • 00:22:14.689 --> 00:22:19.628
  • Marys or any of the women. mary magdelene filled with demons.
  • 00:22:19.628 --> 00:22:23.899
  • Not one time, dr. criswell said, and it's true does jesus
  • 00:22:23.899 --> 00:22:29.337
  • Ever condemn a woman! so remember this, jesus, and
  • 00:22:29.337 --> 00:22:37.245
  • Ultimately the christian faith, the followers of jesus elevated
  • 00:22:37.245 --> 00:22:40.749
  • Women more than any other movement in all of human
  • 00:22:40.749 --> 00:22:44.986
  • History. jesus did that! [applause]
  • 00:22:44.986 --> 00:22:46.922
  • And so that's all for free in this sermon. it just stunned me
  • 00:22:46.922 --> 00:22:54.029
  • When i saw it, i said, but it's true. he got after the men
  • 00:22:54.029 --> 00:22:59.100
  • Pretty good sometimes. that's because he needs to.
  • 00:22:59.100 --> 00:23:05.106
  • Now's the time to serve and give and witness and express
  • 00:23:05.106 --> 00:23:07.809
  • Our love to our family and to our friends. she did what she
  • 00:23:07.809 --> 00:23:11.913
  • Could, when she could. do it now. say it now. dead noses
  • 00:23:11.913 --> 00:23:14.716
  • Smell no roses. there's someone you love, what a wonderful time
  • 00:23:14.716 --> 00:23:19.654
  • At this christmas season to say it, to show it, to write that
  • 00:23:19.654 --> 00:23:26.261
  • Personal note and at the very lest shoot a text. but to show
  • 00:23:26.261 --> 00:23:33.568
  • Love and to send love. as someone discipled you? has
  • 00:23:33.568 --> 00:23:37.806
  • Someone mentored you? has someone shepherded you? has
  • 00:23:37.806 --> 00:23:40.675
  • Someone one pastored you? has someone taught you? now would
  • 00:23:40.675 --> 00:23:43.445
  • Be a good time to show that appreciation and that love
  • 00:23:43.445 --> 00:23:48.083
  • Before it's too late! live without regrets. mary did. mary
  • 00:23:48.083 --> 00:23:54.923
  • Again was paying attention so she didn't care about the waste
  • 00:23:54.923 --> 00:24:01.630
  • As others thought about it; she cared about the worth of jesus.
  • 00:24:01.630 --> 00:24:07.035
  • Talk about a waste! it was judas who threw his life away.
  • 00:24:07.035 --> 00:24:12.340
  • He kissed life goodbye literally when he betrayed the
  • 00:24:12.340 --> 00:24:16.311
  • Lord. and sometimes people say, "you know, you christians!
  • 00:24:16.311 --> 00:24:20.482
  • You're just throwing your life away. you're throwing your time
  • 00:24:20.482 --> 00:24:23.485
  • Away. you're throwing your treasure away. you're giving
  • 00:24:23.485 --> 00:24:26.021
  • Your money away. man, why are you doing that? come on, party
  • 00:24:26.021 --> 00:24:33.128
  • With us! have a blast while you last! don't spend your time
  • 00:24:33.128 --> 00:24:39.568
  • Serving jesus or worshiping jesus." all these hypocrites
  • 00:24:39.568 --> 00:24:44.873
  • Like to say what judas said, and complain and criticize. do
  • 00:24:44.873 --> 00:24:49.311
  • You know what...what i've noticed over the years? the
  • 00:24:49.311 --> 00:24:54.482
  • People who complain the most give the lest and the people
  • 00:24:54.482 --> 00:25:03.058
  • Who give the most complain the lest.
  • 00:25:03.058 --> 00:25:08.763
  • Judas was not being virtuous or discerning. he was being
  • 00:25:08.763 --> 00:25:12.300
  • Self-righteous and critical in his condemnation. mary was
  • 00:25:12.300 --> 00:25:18.273
  • Loving and lavish and fully devoted as a follower of jesus.
  • 00:25:18.273 --> 00:25:25.780
  • Give your all. and to those who say you're wasting your life,
  • 00:25:25.780 --> 00:25:31.086
  • You're wasting your money, you're wasting your time,
  • 00:25:31.086 --> 00:25:33.955
  • You're wasting your energy... just say, "okay, let's just
  • 00:25:33.955 --> 00:25:38.960
  • Wait and let's just add it up at the end of life. let's just
  • 00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:44.699
  • Add it all up when we get to the end. and especially when we
  • 00:25:44.699 --> 00:25:51.206
  • Stand before god and every person is going to be standing
  • 00:25:51.206 --> 00:25:54.843
  • Before god one day. and let's find out what's worth it and
  • 00:25:54.843 --> 00:26:01.016
  • What's not worth it then.
  • 00:26:01.016 --> 00:26:04.986
  • Jim elliot was a martyred missionary. and the well-known
  • 00:26:04.986 --> 00:26:09.858
  • Quote that came from jim elliot's diary is appropriate.
  • 00:26:09.858 --> 00:26:14.996
  • “he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he
  • 00:26:14.996 --> 00:26:23.238
  • Cannot lose.”
  • 00:26:23.238 --> 00:26:27.175
  • People say, "you're a fool, you're a freak, you're a
  • 00:26:27.175 --> 00:26:29.310
  • Fanatic, but like mary, ignore all that. i don't think mary
  • 00:26:29.310 --> 00:26:36.818
  • Heard any of it. she was too focused on jesus. she just kept
  • 00:26:36.818 --> 00:26:43.491
  • Leaning in and looking to the lord and listen to him. and i
  • 00:26:43.491 --> 00:26:49.497
  • Tell you, after all the toys and the trinkets and the
  • 00:26:49.497 --> 00:26:52.467
  • Technology that we give at christmas... and it's good to
  • 00:26:52.467 --> 00:26:54.969
  • Give gifts, it really is. but after all that stuff, it's
  • 00:26:54.969 --> 00:26:59.340
  • Gone. what's going to last is what mary did. jesus said it.
  • 00:26:59.340 --> 00:27:07.148
  • What she did in her act of sacrificial devotion to me,
  • 00:27:07.148 --> 00:27:12.587
  • Will be spoken of wherever the gospel is preached.
  • 00:27:12.587 --> 00:27:17.492
  • The perfume that filled the room
  • 00:27:17.492 --> 00:27:19.427
  • That day so long ago fills this room today.
  • 00:27:19.427 --> 00:27:24.833
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:24.833 --> 00:27:24.833