How To Answer The Critics

How To Answer The Critics

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.[b]” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you,[c] but you will not always have me.” John 12:1-8

Intro: Today we deal with some real life issues.

We all have to deal with difficult people.

Weather it is at work, at school, at the store, at home, or even at church.

The way we handle difficult people says a lot about our spiritual maturity.

We can measure our spiritual growth

by keeping tabs

on how we respond and intervene to things like conflict, hypocrisy, struggles, offenses, and forgiveness.

This sermon or one of the sermons that follows over the next three weeks

will hopefully cause us to examine the way we do things when confronted with the everyday challenges

of our emotions, our feelings, our pride, and our Christian character.

In fact I believe that the fourth and final sermon in this series

titled “How to Forgive the Rapist and the Murder”

will be one of the most powerful sermons I have ever preached.

You don’t want to miss a single sermon in this Worship Series.

Today we are going to start by looking at “How To Answer The Critics”

We begin with a familiar story…

Mary just had to show her appreciation for Jesus.

Jesus had just raised her brother, Lazarus, from the dead,

She had gone from utter despair to total jubilation.

Now, a few days later,

there is a banquet in Jesus’ honor

and everything seemed perfect to Mary.

Simon, the leper, was the host,

Simon was a friend that Jesus’ had healed of the dread disease of leprosy.

Lazarus, her brother, was there completely alive and enjoying the occasion.

+SLIDE+

Mary was so caught up in this joyous time

and so grateful that Jesus had not only forgiven her sins, but He had reunited her family.

She just had to express it in some way.

So, she took a pint of nard,

an expensive perfume,

and poured it on Jesus’ feet.

Then, she wiped His feet with her hair,

and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

Mary did not draw out a carefully measured teaspoon of affection,

she took the whole jar and poured out its entire contents.

Now, this seems like such a heartwarming demonstration of love

And this would be a good place to stop in the story, but it didn’t stop there.

Judas Iscariot, the one who was later going to betray Jesus, objected.

“Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor?” he said.

“It was worth a year’s wages.”

The other Gospels say that some of the other disciples agreed with him.

Have you ever poured your heart into some service and labor of love for God

only to have somebody object and criticize what you have done?

Well, if it hasn’t happen to you…, you either have not been very involved in the church

Or it is likely to happen the next time you try to do something in service for the Lord.

Criticism can take the joy out of the best most sincere effort and deed.

This objection by Judas probably made Mary second guess herself,

and it may have made Jesus look like he was not caring about the poor

and the needs of others that this gift of oil could have benefited.

I am talking about how we as Christian are supposed to deal with difficult people.

The Bible says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18

But, there are some people that are very difficult to get along with.

These can be people you are around every week.

Perhaps they two-faced or fickle or abusive.

Perhaps they eat you up when they are with you,