The Servant Suffers - He Is Adored Series

#3 She has done what she could - Let's stop and ask ourselves, what does Jesus expect of us when it comes to giving? Pay attention, particularly you youth who probably feel like you have nothing monetary to give to the Lord for a long time to come - til have full-time job, etc. Read and explain 2 Cor. 8:3. 1st, giving is proportionate! "according to their means" 2nd, giving is sacrificial! "beyond their means" 3rd, giving is voluntary! Not out of compulsion, manipulation, intimidation. "their own accord" The best example in Scripture? Luke 21:1-4. Grade your giving A - F based on each on each aspect of 2 Cor. 8:3.

#4 She has anointed my body beforehand for burial - Mary did so probably without ever realizing what she was doing! But it was an act of pure worship, motivated by a heart full of love and sincere devotion to her Lord. Both at the beginning and end of Jesus' life, costly treasures were lavished on Him in acts of pure worship (cf. Matt. 2:11). I want to challenge you to reconsider your idea of what worship is! What is worship to us? Sunday AMs, the music program, for my/your benefit 1st and foremost or God's, a part of our lives or it IS our life? Then, do we by our conduct, our lifestyle honor or dishonor the death of our Lord and Savior Jesus that purchased our redemption, our freedom, our forgiveness?!?!

#5 What she has done will be told in memory of her - In six short days, it would seem like it was over, THE END, Jesus nailed to a cross would breathe His last breathe. Satan even thought he had won. The Son of God was dead. With the cross looming ahead, we see Jesus' invincible confidence and faith in His Father. He never believed it was the end. He believed this good news, the Gospel, would go all around the world. And with it would go the story of this lovely thing, done with reckless abandon and extravagance, done on impulse and with no care for what others thought, done out of a heart of love. You and I will not have anything we have ever done written down in Scripture obviously, but Jesus is keeping a memorial of what we have done. Dr. Jerry Vines says Jesus put what Mary did, what we do in "His memory box" to be opened on that Final Day of Judgment. Psalm 112:6 says "For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever." What's in Jesus' memory box? The widow's two mites, gold/frankincense/myrrh, the praise of the 10th leper, the testimony of the blind man, the faith of the dying thief and the Roman centurion, the gratitude of the woman bent over for 18 years/of the widow in Nain/of the woman with the issue of blood for 12 years. How about all the children saved from abortion by Crossway's offering last month, the 3 day VBS in Kibera, 1000s of patients bodies healed from the medical clinic we plan to start building within the next few weeks to months, the 25+ Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, the audible love from this past Wed night's meal? Hallelujah, yes, yes and yes! Jesus NEVER forgets!!! A day of remembrance and reward is coming! What of yours is in Jesus' memory box?! What about this time next year?! Live your life so your preacher doesn't have to lie at your funeral! Live it in such a way that on that day when Jesus opens His memory box you will hear your precious Lord say "Well done, well done! You good and faithful servant...enter into the joy of your master."