Who me, What difference would I make?
Many people have asked that very same question down throughout the ages.
The accuser would have you think, none at all. And if you have to ask yourself that, every time your asked to do something, that’s bigger than you think that you can handle, chances are you’ve never done or attempted the impossible.
You see, when impossible situations are attempted and Gods miraculous capabilities are involved with the outcome.
That’s when the situation becomes memorable!
That’s what memorial day is all about, remembering those who have gave their all,
Who didn’t think about the risk, or what other people might think.
They just put it on the line and the cause became more important than themselves, and they participated into something that became memorable.
Phil. 4:11-13 NKJ
11. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
12. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
The Apostle Paul, had experienced many things throughout his incredible ministry,
I know how to be abased ( which means belittled or degraded), and I know how to abound.
Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
He never let his circumstances decide his participation in any situation,
He gave his all, even though he knew his capabilities were limited,
he also knew that Jesus capabilities were endless,
and as long as he trusted in His strength, there wasn’t anything that he couldn’t do.
He knew about giving, in every cense of the word.
He knew about supply side economics,
Give, trust God and He will supply all the need! Amen?
That’s what he was teaching to the Philippians Church
Phil. 4:14-20 NKJ
14. Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress.
15. Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.
16. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.
17. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.
Right there, is the law of reciprocity, the law concerning giving and receiving, that the bible talks about
Luke 6:38 NKJ
38. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
MSG. says it this way,
Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity
There would never be a Memorial Day to be remembered if there had never been Giving involved in it! The Giving is what made it memorable!
Phil 4:18. Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
19. And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
20. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
That’s what happens when you give to God!
That’s why we should get excited about every opportunity we have, when it comes to giving to the things of God! Amen?
God loves givers, especially the cheerful ones!
Acts 10:1-4 NKJ
1. There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,
2. a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.
3. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
4. And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?”
So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.
When you give, God remembers your prayers and your alms as a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to Him.
When you give, its all part of your Love and Worship that you have for Him,
its all part of your Love that you willingly lay down at His feet and He records it as a memorial unto your account.
You may say, I didn't know that I had an account with God, TBS. you do!
Mark 14:3-9 NKJ
3. And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.
4. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted?
5. For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.
6. But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me.
7. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.
8. She has done what she could. (in other words, she didn't just talk about it, she did it)She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.
9. 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.”
"a memorial to her"
That means, that He thought it was worth remembering, never to be forgotten!
Someone once said that worship is the act of sacrificially giving to Jesus something that is precious to us.
What would that be for you? What do you hold precious to you?
Your money? Your time? Your job?
For the woman described in this scripture, it was a container of perfume.
Mark identifies the place where this event took place, at the house of Simon the Leper in Bethany.
Mark doesn’t mention the name of the woman, but John identifies her as Mary of Bethany,
the sister of Martha and Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
John says that Martha was serving at this gathering and that Lazarus was sitting with Jesus.
Jesus is the guest of honor at this gathering, and as He sits and eats, Mary enters the room with an alabaster box of perfume.
Now i want you to realize something, everyone of them had the same opportunity to do something extravagant for Jesus, but none of them realized the importance of what was about to happen!
And you can just imagine those who were in the room wondering, what was she going to do with a box of perfume!
Everyone was wondering but Jesus, He knew exactly what she was going to do,
Scripture identifies this perfume as spikenard, which was a very expensive fragrance imported from India.
It was valued at three hundred pence, which was the equivalent of a year’s salary for a common worker, in today's economy minimum wage for a year is $15,080.00
Some believe that this perfume may have been Mary’s dowry. it was probably all that she really possessed and it had great value to her
As would it anyone.
Immediately, the disciples begin to criticize her.
They're claim was that Mary wasted this precious perfume, and that she should have sold it and given the money to the poor instead.
Can you imagine how Mary must have felt?
After pouring out everything she had as an act of worship, she gets criticized and ridiculed by the disciples of Jesus.
Isn’t that exactly how the world thinks?
Why in the world would you want to give something valuable to God?
Don’t you know how much that could buy, what you give in tithes to the church, well that’s almost a car payment.
The criticism they gave her almost ruined the praise and worship she had just poured out on Jesus.
Idn’t that just like the devil, but it was to late. Gods record keepers had already recorded it as a memorial to her,
He was already savoring the sweet fragrance it had created, in addition to its already pleasant smell.
But after hearing what they had said, Jesus stops them all dead in their tracks,
He tells the disciples to leave her alone, because she has done what no one else noticed needed to be done.
You see the owner of the house, should have washed His feet, the moment He entered the house, but failed to!
He also said that they could help the poor anytime they wanted to,
but that their time to worship Him in person, was quickly running out.
Jesus had told His disciples on several occasions that He was going to Jerusalem to be put to death,
and now He claims that Mary’s act of devotion will serve as the anointing for His death.
Although Mary probably didn’t intend for her actions to be interpreted this way,
TBS. Jesus knew that He would be put to death as a criminal, and that He would be buried without the proper anointing.
Jesus is so moved by Mary’s actions, that He goes on to tell all who were present that day and forever more,
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
As we study this passage, we learn several things from it.
First of all, the alabaster box of ointment contained something that was very precious, it had great value.
but as long as it stayed in the container, it didn’t benefit anyone.
John says that when the perfume was poured out upon Jesus that its fragrance filled the air, filled the whole house.
Jesus called the act a good work, and in the original Greek actually means “a beautiful thing.”
TBS. God has given each one of us a spiritual gift.
It may be great faith, knowledge, wisdom, acts of service, hospitality, teaching, preaching or some other gift.
But if you keep that gift to yourself, it benefits no one.
It is your responsibility as a Christian to figure out what your gift is, and then to use it and use it often,
for the glory of God and the benefit of those around you.
What will you do today, this week, this month, this year, for the Lord that will be counted as a memorial unto to God?
How bout this, Be found faithful!
Don't question Him with, are you sure, when He ask you to do something for Him!
Pour your praise out on Him, by being found faithful in your doing so.
Those found faithful to their calling, are the heroes in Gods eyes,
Those are the ones, who will receive the heroes reward all along the way,
And in the end, will hear the welcoming words “well done, thou good and faithful servant!”
Amen?
Lets pray!
