TITLE: SELF-LESS LOVE 8/24/02
TEXT: MARK 14:1 – 11
INTRO:
IN THIS NEW MILLENIUM, WE ARE LIVING IN A SELF CENTERED SOCIETY. WE ARE LIVING IN A DAY OF ABSOLUTE SELFISHNESS. FOR INSTANCE -
· HIGH SOCIETY WOMEN ARE ABORTING BABIES FOR THEIR PERSONAL CONVINIENCE
· CHILDREN ARE SHOVED IN FRONT OF T.V.’S BECAUSE PARENTS WHO ARE SELFISH DON’T WANT TO SHARE THEIR TIME.
· CHRISTIANS GO WEEK AFTER WEEK WITHOUT READING THEIR BIBLES OR FELLOWSHIPPING WITH THE LORD.
· CHRISTIANS SIT IN CHURCH SERVICES YEAR AFTER YEAR WITHOUT EVERY GIVING TO THE LORD
· CHRISTIANS ENJOY ALL GOD’S BLESSINGS WITHOUT EVER DOING ANYTHING FOR GOD IN RETURN.
WE’RE A NATION OF PROUD AND SELFISH PEOPLE!
WELL, ONE OF THE GREATEST EXAMPLES OF HUMILITY AND SELF-LESS LOVE IS FOUND IN THIS STORY HERE BEFORE US. HERE JESUS IS IN -
· BETHANY IN SIMON THE LEPERS HOUSE JUST A FEW MILES FROM JERUSALEM
· IN JUST A FEW DAYS HE WILL BE ARRESTED, TRIED, FOUND INNOCENT YET CRUCIFIED.
· HE KNOWS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
· I’M SURE HIS HEART WAS HEAVY – YET HE GLAD TO BE FELLOW-SHIPPING WITH HIS FRIENDS.
NOW AS THE LORD IS THERE ENJOYING THE FELLOWSHIP AND RELAXING WITH HIS FRIENDS ALONG COMES A WOMAN WITH AN ALABASTER BOX FILLED WITH SPIKENARD A VERY EXPENSIVE PERFUME. SHE THEN BREAKS IT AND POURS IT ALL OVER THE HEAD OF JESUS.
HERE WAS A WOMAN WHO TOOK HER GIFT OF ABOUT 300 PENCE, (THE EQUIVALENT OF NEARLY A YEARS WAGES) AND SELF-LESSLY POURED IT ALL OUT ON THE LORD WHO SHE LOVED!
I DON’T KNOW IF YOU HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED THAT KIND OF LOVE BEFORE OR NOT – IF YOU HAVE IT PROBLABLY TOOK YOU BY SURPRISE.
ILL. IT MAY HAVE BEEN WHEN YOU WALKED INTO YOUR CHILDS BEDROOM & SAW THAT THEY HAD MADE THE BED, CLOTHES PICKED UP OFF THE FLOOR, AND THE TRASH WAS EMPTIED. THE ROOM WAS A CLEAN AND NEAT. AND IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND, YOU JUST KNEW THAT YOUR CHILD MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING WRONG, AND WAS TRYING TO BUTTER YOU UP. SO YOU BEGIN TO QUESTION YOUR CHILD ALONG THOSE LINES, ONLY TO HEAR THIS REPLY, "MOM, IT’S NO BIG DEAL. I JUST DID IT BECAUSE I LOVE YOU."
ILL. OR - MAYBE YOUR HUSBAND CAME HOME WITH A DOZEN ROSES. IT WASN’T YOUR BIRTHDAY, ANNIVERSARY OR MOTHER’S DAY. IT WAS JUST ANOTHER DAY, AND HE BROUGHT YOU ROSES. AND OF COURSE YOU KNEW THAT HE MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING WRONG. BUT HE SAYS, "NOPE, I BOUGHT THESE FLOWERS BECAUSE I LOVE YOU.
IT IS AN UNEXPECTED ACT OF PURE SELF LESS LOVE. THIS IS THE KIND OF LOVE WE SEE IN THE STORY BEFORE US TODAY AS THIS WOMAN CAME TO JESUS.
SAD TO SAY BUT NEARLY EVERYONE WHO COMES TO CHURCH COMES WITH A SELFISH MOTIVE – THEY ALWAYS COME LOOKING TO GET INSTEAD OF GIVE. THEY WERE THE SAME WAY IN JESUS DAY.
· THE SICK CAME TO BE HEALED
· THE POOR CAME TO BE FED
· THE DISCIPLES CAME BECAUSE CHRIST SPOKE OF A FUTURE KINGDOM
· THE PHARISEE’S CAME TO TRAP HIM IN HIS WORDS
· THE RELIGIOUS CAME TO SEE SIGNS, MIRACLES & WONDERS
· THEY DID NOT COME BECAUSE THEY LOVED CHRIST – THEY CAME BECAUSE THEY WANTED SOMETHING FROM HIM. BUT IN SPITE OF THEIR MOTIVE – JESUS LOVED THEM ANYWAY.
JESUS LOVED –
· THE PEOPLE OF JERUSALEM IN SPITE OF THEIR SIN
· THE PEOPLE THAT GATHERED ON THE HILLSIDES WHO CAME SIMPLY TO BE FED
· THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS WHO HATED HIM AND WANTED HIM DEAD
· THE SOLDIERS THAT BEAT HIM AND NAILED HIM TO THE CROSS
· CHRIST LOVED THEM ALL – AND WANTED NOTHING BUT THEIR LOVE IN RETURN.
AND AS I SEARCHED THE SCRIPTURES, I COULD NOT FIND ONE SINGLE RECORD OF ANYONE EVER COMING TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST JUST TO TELL HIM HOW MUCH THEY LOVED HIM.
ILL. YES, AFTER THE RESURECTION JESUS CAME TO PETER AND PETER TOLD THE LORD THAT HE LOVED HIM WHEN JESUS ASKED ABOUT IT. BUT I BELIEVE IT IS SAD THAT OUR LOVE FOR CHRIST EVER HAS TO BE QUEST-IONED!
AS WE LOOK IN THIS STORY TODAY, THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN THE MIND OF THE LORD THAT THIS LADY HAD A TRUE GENUINE LOVE FOR HIM.
NOTICE SOME THINGS ABOUT THIS WOMAN’S LOVE.
I. SHE FOUND A WAY TO EXPRESS IT V.3
HERE THIS WOMAN WAS SO FILLED WITH LOVE FOR CHRIST – SHE HAD TO DO SOMETHING TO SHOW IT. SO SHE TAKES THE MOST EXPENSIVE PERFUME THAT SHE HAS AND POURS IT ALL OUT ON JESUS.
SCHOLARS BELIEVE THIS WOMAN WAS NONE OTHER THAN MARY MAGDALENE.
ILL. AS YOU READ THE SCRIPTURES, YOU WILL FIND THAT MARY MAGDALENE AT ONE TIME WAS DEMON POSSESED. MANY BELIEVE SHE WAS EVEN A PROSTITUTE BEFORE SHE WAS SAVED BUT JESUS HAD SET HER FREE!
ILL. SCHOLARS TELL ME THIS SPIKENARD PERFUME THAT WAS IN THE BOX HAD BEEN IMPORTED FROM NORTHERN INDIA. IT WAS A PERFUME USED BY THE LADIES OF THE NIGHT – THOSE PROSTITUTES THAT WALKED THE STREETS. IT WAS A TOOL OF THEIR TRADE USED TO MAKE THEMSELVES MORE APPEALING TO THOSE MEN THAT WOULD PASS THEM BY.
NOW WITH THAT THOUGHT IN MIND, THIS WOMAN TOOK AN OLD TOOL OF HER TRADE, BRAKE IT AND GAVE IT UP TO JESUS! SHE HAD FORSAKEN HER OLD SINFUL LIFE – IN ORDER TO PROVE HER LOVE FOR CHRIST!
ILL. IN LUKE WE SEE THIS SAME WOMAN KNEELING DOWN AT THE FEET OF HER LORD, WASHING AND KISSING HIS FEET – AND THERE WE SEE HER ENTHUSIASTIC LOVE FOR THE LORD.
I OFTEN WONDER WHAT A DIFFERENCE COULD BE MADE IN OUR CHURCH IF WE CHRISTIANS WOULD BECOME AS ENTHUSIASTIC AND EXCITED FOR JESUS AS WE ARE FOR
· THE NFL
· MARTIAL ARTS
· RACING CARS AND ALL THE FUN THINGS WE LIKE TO DO IN LIFE!
ILL. I REMEMBER DR. TIM LEE TOLD THE STORY HOW HE AND A COUPLE OF PREACHERS WENT TO WATCH A PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL GAME. HE SAID IT WAS ABOUT THE 5TH INNING. ONE MAN WHO WAS A FANATIC AS WELL AS OVERLY INTOXICATED – BEGAN TO CRY OUT, “STRIKE THE BUM OUT” WHEN HIS FAVORITE PITCHER WAS UP TO PITCH THE BALL.
THIS MAN WAS EVER SO PERSISTENT. INNING AFTER INNING, HE CONTINUED TO SCREAM, “STRIKE THE BUM OUT.” AS THE INNINGS PASSED BY – HE HAD MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN HIS SECTION SCREAMING OUT LOUD, “STRIKE THE BUM OUT.” BY THE 8TH INNING HE HAD ABOUT HALF THE STADIUM SCREAMING TO THE TOP OF THEIR LUNGS, “STRIKE THE BUM OUT.” BY THE 9TH INNING DR. TIM LEE SAID THE WHOLE STADIUM WAS STANDING ON THEIR FEET SCREAMING OUT, “STRIKE THE BUM OUT.”
DR. LEE AS MOST OF YOU KNOW HAS NO LEGS – SO THE PREACHERS WAS HOLDING HIM UP ON THEIR SHOULDERS SO HE COULD SEE. AND THERE THEY WERE – 3 DIGNIFIED PREACHERS SCREAMING TO THE TOP OF THEIR LUNGS, “STRIKE THE BUM OUT.”
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN – IF 3 DIGNIFIED PREACHERS CAN GO TO A BALL GAME AND GET EXCITED AND SHOUT FOR THE TEAM THEY LOVE – WHY CAN’T WE CHRISTIANS COME TO CHURCH AND GET EXCITED AND SHOUT AND SHOW SOME ENTHUSIASM FOR OUR LORD?
MY FRIEND, I BELIEVE THE WORLD WOULD KNOW SOMETHING WAS GOING ON IN THIS CHURCH IF WE WERE MORE ENTHUSIASTIC AND EXCITED ABOUT THE THINGS OF THE LORD!
LISTEN, THIS WOMAN THAT CAME TO CHRIST – SHOWED HER LOVE FOR HIM AS SHE ENTHUSIASTICALLY GAVE ALL THAT SHE HAD TO JESUS.
1. SHE FOUND A WAY TO EXPRESS HER LOVE
II. SHE EXPRESSED HER LOVE EXTRAVAGANTLY V.4
IN V.4 MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO SAW WHAT THIS WOMAN HAD DONE – THOUGHT TO THEMSELVES –
· ARE YOU CRAZY?
· WHAT IN THE WORLD WOULD POSSESS THIS WOMAN TO POUR ALL THIS EXPENSIVE PERFUME ON JESUS?
· WHAT WOULD POSSESS HER TO DO SUCH AN AWESOME THING AS THIS?
I BELIEVE IT WAS HER LOVE! YOU SEE TRUE LOVE OFTEN ACTS THAT WAY!
ILL. HOW MANY OF YOU WOMEN REMEMBER THE CRAZY THINGS YOUR HUSBAND DID BEFORE YOU WERE MARRIED TO SHOW YOU HIS LOVE?
ILL. ALL OF US CAN REMEMBER BUYING THINGS WE COULDN’T AFFORD, TO GIVE TO THE WIFE AND CHILDREN WE LOVE. TRUE LOVE DOES THAT. TRUE LOVE DOES THINGS THAT TO MOST WOULD APPEAR TO BE FOOLISH AND WASTEFUL AS IT TRIES TO SAY, "THIS IS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU."
ILL. SOME SITTING THERE ON THAT DAY WOULD SAY WHY DID YOU GO SO FAR AS TO BREAK THE BOX? YOU COULD HAVE JUST OPENED IT AND POURED A FEW DROPS ON HIS HEAD. AND THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD ENOUGH.
ILL. OTHERS WOULD HAVE SAID – YOU COULD HAVE EMPTIED THE BOX OF THE PERFUME – AND SAVED THE BOX SO IT COULD BE USED AGAIN.
OH BUT LISTEN THIS WOMAN WAS FILLED WITH SUCH LOVE FOR HER LORD THAT SHE BROKE THE BOX SO THAT IT COULD NEVER BE FILLED AGAIN!
YOU SEE TO HER THAT BOX REMINDED HER OF HER PAST LIFE. IT REMINDED HER OF SIN! BUT NOW HER SINS WERE FORGIVEN, AND BECAUSE OF JESUS SHE WOULD NOT BE RETURNING TO HER OLD WAY OF LIFE AGAIN.
ILL. I BELIEVE THERE ARE MANY CHRISTIANS IN OUR CHURCH TODAY WHO HAS SOME PERSONAL SINS, IDOLS, HABITS AND THINGS THAT WE LOVE KEPT HIDDEN IN LITTLE BOXES DEEP IN OUR HEARTS.
WELL FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST I BELIEVE WE OUGHT TO TAKE THOSE BOXES – AND DON’T EMPTY THEM, BUT CRUSH THEM SO THEY CAN NEVER BE FILLED AGAIN!
IN THIS ONE PASSING MOMENT, WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY WAS THERE, SHE SEIZED IT. OH, YES, THERE WERE THOSE WHO CRITICIZED HER, BUT JESUS KNEW HER HEART AND WHAT SHE HAD DONE. NO WONDER HE SAID, "SHE HATH WROUGHT A GOOD WORK ON ME."
1. SHE FOUND A WAY TO EXPRESS HER LOVE
2. SHE EXPRESSED HER LOVE EXTRAVAGANTLY
III. SHE DID WHAT SHE COULD V.8a
I WANT YOU TO ASK YOURSELF THAT QUESTION. ARE YOU DOING WHAT YOU CAN? COULD YOU BE DOING MORE FOR JESUS?
ILL. MY HEARTS DESIRE IS TO KNOW THAT WHEN I STAND BEFORE THE THRONE OF ALMIGHTY GOD, AND HE OPENS THE BOOK OF LIFE AND COMES TO MY NAME, AND SEES ALL THE SINS THAT HAVE BEEN BLOTTED OUT BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. AND THEN VIEWS ALL THE EFFORTS I HAVE PUT FORTH, MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD I LONG FOR MY LORD TO SAY, “FATHER, HE HAS DONE WHAT HE COULD!”
YES, OTHERS DID MORE, SOME EVEN LESS – BUT MY SERVANT NILES LLOYD HAS DONE WHAT HE COULD.
LISTEN GOD IS NOT GOING TO ASK YOU FOR ANYTHING THAT YOU ARE –
· INCAPABLE OF DOING
· UNABLE TO PERFORM
· MONEY YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE
· JESUS JUST WANTS YOU TO DO WHAT YOU CAN!
HE WANTS YOU TO -
· BE AS FAITHFUL AS YOU CAN
· GIVE THE BEST THAT YOU CAN
· WITNESS FOR HIM THE BEST THAT YOU CAN
· SERVE HIM THE BEST THAT YOU CAN
· AND I BELIEVE WE AS A CHURCH CAN DO A LOT MORE FOR THE LORD IF WE SIMPLY LOVED HIM THE WAY THAT WE SHOULD!
NO, THIS WOMAN DIDN’T HAVE MUCH, BUT WHAT SHE DID HAVE SHE GAVE TO JESUS.
NOW ASK YOURSELF –
· WHAT HAVE I EVER DONE JUST FOR JESUS?
· HOW HAVE I EXPRESSED MY LOVE TO HIM?
· HAVE YOU EVER CAME TO HIM WITH A BROKEN HEART AND SAID, LORD, I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I LOVE YOU, AND I DON’T REALLY KNOW HOW ELSE TO EXPRESS IT – OTHER THAN GIVING MYSELF ALL TO YOU.
MY FRIEND,
· GOD LOVES YOU MORE THAT YOU CAN EVER LOVE HIM.
· WE CAN NEVER PAY HIM BACK FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE.
· I CAN DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING IN THE WAY OF SACRIFICE, BUT I COULD NEVER REPAY THE DEBT OF LOVE THAT I OWE.
· THANK GOODNESS, GOD DOESN’T REQUIRE THE DEBT TO BE REPAID. HE JUST WANTS US TO ACCEPT WHAT HE HAS DONE, AND LOVE HIM FOR IT.
THIS WOMAN BROKE HER BOX AND POURED IT ALL UPON JESUS – WHAT WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO BRING TO THIS ALTAR, BREAK IT, GIVE IT UP AND GIVE IT ALL TO THE LORD JESUS?
FOR SOME IT MIGHT BE –
· TO COME AND GIVE YOUR HEART TO JESUS
· TO COME WITH A BROKEN HEART AS YOU EXPRESS YOUR LOVE
· A DECISION ABOUT SERVICE
· GIVING UP SIN
· WHATEVER THE CASE YOU COME AND GIVE YOUR LIFE TO CHRIST.
MY FRIEND IF JESUS CHRIST GAVE HIS LIFE FOR US – THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS GIVE OUR LIFE FOR HIM.
