Counter-Cultural Worship

Counter-Cultural Worship

Mark 14:1-9

Good morning.

John 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." NKJV

Worship and praise are what we use to express our amazement and thankfulness to the Lord for His mighty acts.

King David in the Psalms tells us that Praise is the response to the Lord’s glorious splendor of His majesty (His Kingship), along with His awesome deeds and His greatness.

Praise also recognizes His abundant goodness, righteousness, His grace, mercy, and patience. We should train our hearts to think of who He is and what He’s done for us.

Worship is not just a time of singing; it is a life style where we express our praise and love to God in response to who He is and what He has done.

Our response to who Jesus is and what He’s done for us should result in an expression of worship that engages all that is within me to bless His Holy Name!

Please open your Bible to Mark 14 as we continue in that study.

Last time we were in Mark, was our final lesson in our mini-series on the End Times where Jesus taught about His physical second coming as He warned not to guess the time of His return.

When those who will be left behind see these signs and wonders described in Mark 13, they can know for sure the end is coming.

Then Jesus said that no one knows the hour of His physical return except the Father.

On earth, Jesus submitted to human limitations and chose not to exercise some of His heavenly attributes. Yet there were other times where He did things only God can do.

We ended Mark 13 with Jesus telling His followers to be watchful, and the readiness Jesus was speaking of, was not a logistical readiness like a homeowner, but a spiritual readiness.

This morning, we will hear about a woman who loved the Lord so much, that she broke all cultural norms to serve and worship Jesus in a very radical way.

I. Passover.

Read Mark 14:1-2

Jesus had just finished warning His Disciples about future events and then Mark records a timeline for us; after two days, and what was happening in Jerusalem at this time was Passover.

What was Passover? It was a feast, celebrating the redemption of Israel from bondage and death in Egypt, under Pharaoh.

After Moses pronounced the plagues on Egypt, Pharaoh refused to allow the Israelites to go free so, the final plague was the death of all of the first born in Egypt.

Even during that judgment, the Lord provided a way of salvation for the first born, if the family would do as the Lord required.

Each household was to take a Lamb to be used as a sacrifice. The Passover Lamb was to be without blemish because the sacrifice to the LORD had to be as perfect as a Lamb could be.

The Lamb was a picture of the Lamb of God who would later be given for the sins of the world.

On the original Passover, the Lamb’s blood was to be applied to the door posts of the house. This demonstrated the house was purchased by blood. Sin cannot be atoned for, without blood!

Hebrews 9:22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. NKJV

The only part of this sacrifice that was given to God was the blood; and the rest of the Passover Lamb was eaten by the family or discarded.

In order to have their firstborn spared from the angel of death, the people had to put blood exactly where the Lord instructed.

If an Israelite home didn't believe in the power of the blood of the Lamb, they could sacrifice the Lamb and eat it, but they would still be visited by judgment from the Angel of Death.

But catch this: Even if an Egyptian trusted in the power of the blood of the Lamb, they would have been saved.

As the blood was applied to the top and each side of the doorway, the blood dripped down, forming a figure of a cross in the doorway.

The Passover Lamb also had to be roasted in fire, not boiled with bitter herbs and unleavened bread served the meal.

The Passover Lamb had to come in contact with the fire, just as Jesus had to come into direct contact with the "fire" of the Father's judgment on sin, on our behalf.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. NKJV

The bitterness of the cross is reflected in the bitter herbs and the unleavened bread represented the sinless Bread of Life, Jesus.