Be Like Mary

I'm going to suspend our study through first Timothy to look this morning at John chapter 12 would you go there. John chapter 12, we will look at verses one through eight.

The gospel of John chapter 12 verses one through eight. Austin is simply entitled this exposition be like Mary be like Mary John chapter 12 beginning in verse one. Jesus therefore, six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, so they made him a supper there and Martha was serving but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him.

Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples who was intending to betray him, said, why was this perfume not sold for 300 and there I am given to poor people. Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor because he was a thief and as he had the money box he used to pilfer what was put into it. Therefore Jesus said, let her alone so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you that you do not always have the now, in this day lock in our day there were basically four types of people. First of all, there were those folks who hated Jesus from the beginning, primarily typified by the religious authorities of Israel from the beginning as Jesus did this, miracles and tall the authority they saw him as an enemy arrival someone who might steal away their control over the people. So first of all, there are those who pretty much disliked him rejected him from the beginning. Secondly, there were those folks and a lot of them early on, who admired him and followed him, and to some degree. Call themselves his disciples, but primarily for the free food in the wonderful miracles. I mean they were getting their bellies full and the sick were being healed the dead were being raised. This is fantastic and is the longest the show continued in the blessings Flowing.

They were in on it, but they were not true disciples as Jesus nears the cross, they begin to fall away.

Then there was 1/3 group.

I believe genuinely converted disciples of Jesus Christ. But shallow in their understanding they loved him. They believed he was God's just Messiah.

They were following him.

But they just didn't get it yet. Then there was the fourth group also genuine believers genuine disciples love Christ, but had begun to grasp what he was about. They began to get it. That is understood across and were not offended by and did not stumble over it be like Mary. Mary was one of the fourth group. Mary love Christ. She was a devoted disciple of Jesus Christ like Lazarus and like Martha but I think unlike the seagrass sport, this time in history meant she understood what he was about to do.

She saw his body as the literal guilt offering for her sin and the sins of his people. First of all let's notice in our text I Jesus total devotion to give his body or in giving his body to build his church. I want you to notice the emphasis here on the body. Here's where the liberal theologians and the liberal pastors missing.

They begin to emphasize Jesus as a good teacher, a moral crusader. The highest example of unselfishness when he was certainly that, but he was far more than that Jesus was God in a literal human body, a literal, pure, righteous, sinless body that would literally and actually be crucified and literally and actually received the wrath of God in his body.

In our place. If you lose the literal death of Christ for our sins, listen to me, you lose Christianity the cross, Jesus came dedicating himself to that he has left his retreat at Ephraim.

He's begun his smarts to Jerusalem and to the cross, the Passover get begins in about a week and he chooses to break his journey here at Bethany. That's interesting. He's ending his ministry in this narrative and we look back. He begins his ministry at the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee and it was an occasion bright with anticipation.

Jesus turns the water into wine.

There he proclaims to marry his earthly mother that he must be departing from her and his loyalty to her as his mother and yield himself fully and wholly to his heavenly father's will for his life. That was necessary because she yet could not understand that my boy has grown up to be crucified. The common folks are convinced he's the Messiah come to usher in a promise of a new Israel. As one scholar said, quote he's bringing the new wind of the kingdom into the tired insipid waters of Israel, but this feast day and Bethany at Mary and Martha, and Lazarus's house has a much different tone than the wedding at Cana of Galilee. Dark clouds are amassing on the horizon and there is a burden on the heart of Jesus.

The celebration is muted. The talk now is not of new life in a new kingdom, but of his coming death and his burial.

The cross is just a week away.

You see, the cross is the reason he came. Revelation 13 eight reminds us that he is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. His sinless body was conceived it in the womb of the Virgin Mary, so that he could one day yield up that body as a guilt offering for sin.

John 638 Jesus says five come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. Isaiah prophesied of the father's will. Concerning Jesus, Isaiah 5310 but the Lord was pleased to crush him, putting him to grief if he would render himself as a guilt offering.

The cross is not an ambulance sent to the scene of an accident.

The cross is the purpose and intention of Almighty God from the foundation of the world to save his children, and how did you do it through this precious body. First Peter chapter 2 verse 24 and he and he himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, he became man that is holy and sinless body not be treated as if he were sinful, as if he were a traitor to God as if he were the greatest of transgressors.

He was treated that way because he bore our judgment, and his heart was fully devoted to this purpose of his father.

Therefore his body was fully dedicated to serve the purposes of God in building his church. The time sent from the foundation of the world has now come. Now he resolutely sets his face like flint toward Jerusalem, but of all things. First, he must stop at the home of Mary and Martha, and Lazarus, something is going to happen here to this precious body of his preparing him for his coming death.

Look at verse two. If you will for just a moment John chapter 12 so they made him a supper there. Martha was serving but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him.

What assembled this setting is a Jesus divine authority and of hope. Lazarus is reclining at the table.

It's a wonder that all who are present are not on their faces, worshiping him and honoring him Lazarus just a few mall a few days ago was that, I mean graveyard dead and Jesus brought him back from the dead just sitting around eating at the table. What more evidence would anyone need to convince them that he was the Messiah, the son of God, that reminds us that during Jesus earthly ministry he brought in his trail. A stream of miracles miracles which are typical of the future kingdom. He will one day establish all the earth, healed the sick. He fed the hungry. He raised the dead. He spoke the wisdom of God. But now's not the time for the final and full establishment of the kingdom on the earth that's coming later. The miracles in the wonders and the glories in the sides. Jesus performed if you will were just a preview of coming attractions of what will be commonplace in the earth when he returns to rule and his scepter reign over all of the globe. By this time. Certainly, there could be no doubt who the what that rather he was who he claimed to be, but now it is time for his sacrificial death for sin. This is his father's will and he is totally devoted his body to the cross to fulfill his father's purposes to build his church. Now let's come to marry and let's notice Mary's total devotion to Christ body for the sake of building the church and we see Mary's devotion come out in two ways. Or least I would like to describe it into way number one.

First of all we see Mary's lavish gift an incredible gift. Look, if you will, at the text there in the Bible says in verse three.

Mary then took a pound that was a Roman pound of the day was to be about 12 ounces today a very costly perfume of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume of this was not just any perfume.

This was a very special exotic perfume, and in those days they would always mix the fragrance with an all y'all.

And that's the way it was anointed on the bot on the body was called a very costly perfume.

The text bears out that it was the equivalent of lot of about 11 months wages for the average worker. Can you imagine almost a year's salary in this perfume, and she pours it on the feet of Jesus, Judas exclaims why is she doing this while we could have done so much good for the poor and the narrative tells us he would and concerned about the poor.

It was the treasurer of the disciples used to tell for money out of the treasury's but you understand this is not a perfume you could pick up down at the Bethany Walmart are even the Bethany Dillard's, you might give it the village shop that they had to special order it and take a retainer up front. This is expensive stuff. It shows the lavishness of her gift. I believe with all of my heart that Mary knew this day what was coming and she had been working and saving and doing all she could to give this gift to Christ to anoint this precious body with this extravagant gift of perfume, so it was any Ella lavish, even extravagant gift. Secondly, notice it, the love she has for God's purposes not I use God's purposes because I think that's vitally important. Certainly a love for God, but you can't love God and not rejoicing in love.

His purposes, and we truly love God's purpose is you love the God whom the purposes flow data because his purposes match his his character and his attributes. You can't love one without the other. And that's what I'm telling you about Mary. I believe she was one of the few that looking genuinely was beginning to understand the purpose of God through the cross and then that great love she did what she did look at verse seven. If you will, and she's pouring this prefer perfume on an Judas Iscariot is rebuking Jesus rebukes Judas and says let her alone so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. I'm convinced Mary undoubtably of course knew Jesus death was near, and many other loyal followers had stumbled over that truth.

Remember when Jesus first told the disciples about his coming death in Jerusalem Peter.

The Bible says takes Jesus aside and begins to rebuke him.

I begged Jesus a return rebukes Peter and says get behind me Satan you're setting your mind on man's interest and not God's words, Peter. You don't get it yet.

I believe you let me Peter, but right now you're thinking like a worldly man you're trying to serve me like the world would want to serve me.

Your thinking the way Satan would have you think Peter you don't yet understand what I'm about so many had stumbled over his coming death that Mary grasped it and Mary unconvinced embraces it. This is not a silly, emotionally charged woman losing all control and lavishing this extravagant expensive gift. On another know this is total devotion in this lavish gift is a result of one simple truth. Mary stayed at the feet of Jesus listening to his word, hearing his teaching spirit enable her to grasp the centrality of this work, the cross now Luke chapter 10 is another narrative of the same event, and it gives an insight that I think is very interesting in Luke chapter 10 beginning in verse 38. I think it would be a yes it's on your screen as they were traveling along, he entered a village and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home and she had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet listening to his word.

But Martha was distracted with all her preparations.

Notice personal pronoun with all her preparation and she came up to MS Jesus is Lord you not care that my sister says left me to do all the serving alone then tell her to help me with the Lord answered and said to her know when you get to Martha's at serious Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things but only one thing is necessary for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

You remember meatloaf Martha and meditating Mary, Jesus comes in the house and Martha. I believe love the Lord.

A true disciple, but she was so busy and getting everything ready and getting everything right getting everything proper and for extent Mary's out there doing nothing.

Sitting at the feet of Jesus. Martha comes to the door the kitchen and into the dining area. She's got a spray of flour on the cheek and she's got beads of perspiration coming out her for, and her face is red but not just from the heat in the kitchen but over Mary not doing anything here I am doing all this service for God and married I didn't care. Not even happen. Lord rebuke her in the Lord rebukes Martha received Martha at this point in her shallowness was proud of her service for Christ. Mary was devoted to being with Christ. The suicide note to you ladies concerning hospitality told talk to Pam about this. How when I was a little boy growing up we went to visit her family in another state they were family friends and all week long. Mom mom fretted over the visit because she knew how much the lady of the house we were going to visit was spreading over his coming.

She said she will be cleaning. She will be scrubbing wall. She will be cleaning out closets you buy new lamp to match the the day and better she would just to achieve this to all this stuff and we were on a nervous wreck of how we got there the woman. The house was a nervous wreck. We were nervous. Rick, I don't know Martha's heart, but make sure when you're entertaining guests.

It's about them and not about. They just want to feel loved and welcomed, they will need a performance well were kinda bent that way the walkway we all have some of the Martha Martha Innes don't get to Martha's from the Lord you want to Martha's.

No offense to you ladies night Martha, of course, but I want to look at verse 39 here's the key to the difference at this point in their spiritual pilgrimage between Mary and Martha Martha's busy busy busy busy doing stuff. Verse 39 but she had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet listening to his word is Scripture is the word that showed Martha what was important. I read a Mary what was important. Mary grasped these things, she was spiritually discerning.

She was listening to the teaching of Jesus. She understands proper service for the Lord is always, according to his word, not according to our emotions and our activities as a whole Lotta, busy, supportive, all of our churches got rid of everything that God didn't really need us doing another one understand something in balance here. The way the Greek is constructed did not mean that Martha's evil and Mary's righteous, it just makes Martha start Mary's doing what is best and Martha's doing less than best of the small because, by the way there's a lot of hard work and perspiration in the kingdom.

But there's a time for everything so meatloaf.

Martha was serving jerk Jesus in harmony and complete obedience to her own thoughts about how serviceable to be Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus saying that I will be time. What would you have me to do so. Mary understanding God's Word does what Mary takes this lavish gift of extravagantly costly perfume.

And she anoints the feet of Jesus cleaning his feet with her hair and it was the custom of the day to splash perfume on the feet of your guest. It was just a gesture of niceness and welcome. She goes way, way over and above that, because I believe Mary understood something I believe Mary understood this is the precious body of my atonement, not just the idea Jesus not just his teaching is wonderful as it is not just his example of how unselfish system that is certainly true, but far greater than that and far beyond that.

Mary said this is the body of the incarnate son of God given a cross for my sin. There's not can do for this Jesus actually in a kind way.

Since Martha, you don't get it yet, but he sister Mary Mary you get. You understand sinners in this body being yielded up on the cross. Recipients III our devotion to Christ body, our devotion to Christ body. I believe Mary's example in John chapter 12 is a model of ministry for all Christians of all ages. Now you might say well how my going to minister to the body. Jesus is not here in incarnate form. Are you sure are you sure that he's not here in incarnate form. Let me just give you few verses first Corinthians 1227 now you are Christ body, and individually members of it. Romans 12 five so we who are many, are one body in Christ. First Corinthians 1017 says there is one bread, we who are many, are one body for all partakers of one bread.

Ephesians 530. We are members of his body. Colossians 118. He is also head of the body, the church is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself will come to have first place in everything. Ephesians 122 through 23. He put all things in subjection under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all, the point service to Christ body is our service to the church body because it's the church's commission the listen to me to continue. Will the to continue.

Rather, the purpose of God that Christ started and is continuing yet now through his body.

His church, my question to you is Martha do you get it do, we must look at what the Scripture says, and follow the Scripture in a simple way. What would we do do pastor to show a real total devotion to Christ, you find a scripturally sound local church and devote yourself service to God.

There I can say to you after being pastor here for all these years and I say it with bold confidence that if you will give generously to support the work of Jesus by giving to this local church.

I believe you're walking in the spirit of Mary in the sense that you get what God's about is about building his church now through the agency of his body, the church where we are today at Grace life Church of the Shoals has taken decades of hard work we've endured many attacks in many critics, many undermining's, but isn't it wonderful that God has sustained us and God has used the aggressions of those who tried to discourage us as nothing but spiritual fertilizer to grow us deeper and stronger. We have by God's grace fought the good fight we've endured the long hard grind to establish by God's enablement a spiritually scripturally sound church we've established a sound theology are holding the sound doctrine in our church. We've established sound doctrine on what the local church really is what is to be about. We've established sound doctrine concerning what is true evangelism. What is true conversion we've established sound doctrine about church membership.

Instead of having hundreds even thousands on roles that don't even come to church we've established sound doctrine about body life in the church and that every member to be ministering through a small group that's the reality of true regeneration.

We've established the sound doctrine of biblical church discipline and accountability always with love course within the body of Christ. We've established the sound doctrine that the preaching of the word of God and the power of the spirit is the centerpiece of God's work in the church and even in the world. We've established the sound doctrine of a biblically strategic and personalized world missions that, by the way, even in recent weeks, God has blessed beyond my comprehension. Our influence today. Without exaggeration is number not in the tens of thousands but even reaching the hundreds of thousands God's blessing what we been about and my point is just as a church family like Mary how thankful we should be but not just for your local church. Just think about being thankful for a moment about everything. I just want to speak of something's we have the Scriptures sport. God how thankful we should be the Savior gave his body over to the cross for us. Thankful we should be the new birth, which is a miracle gift of God.

Each of us the Holy Spirit the fellowship of our local church. What about our spouses, our children, our grandchildren, our great-grandchildren. How thankful we should be the jobs we have the vehicles, our homes, furnishings, even our trials and hardships in the know some of you are there right now. Trials and hardships that God always turns inside out, and ultimately makes them a blessing for us. The second coming of Christ, heaven the country we live in the simple joys of pet hug kind word, thoughtful deed and I could go on and on and on. How thankful we should be Ralph Waldo Emerson said that if the stars of the celestial heavens only appeared one night in a thousand years. One child every thousand years. If you happen to be alive. On that night and saw those stars you would be filled with Thanksgiving that you got to experience the such gratitude for your heart never get over it. But has it is we are flooded with so much abundance of blessings. We forget the marvel of what he's given us in the wonder of his blessings. My habit on Sunday morning is not to listen to anything but preaching on my way to church. Got in my truck and begin to back out of the garage and the radio was on a sports station. Literally, I said to myself, oh dear God is are not more than that on Sunday I like sports something better than football or basketball's and almost every Sunday when I listen to some pre-not to spot a preacher. Sometimes I endure it, but almost always, he gives me something this morning. David Jeremiah was preaching and he told the story.

He said there was a man that he knew who had just lost his oldest son to death been so long long process of struggle with his wife who had dementia and at the end of it.

This man had almost lost his faith, so we got a way to remote place and took his Bible and a notepad we begin to pray and fast somehow in the process, he wrote down 10 things he was thankful for, and as you look at those 10 things and thought of them and prayed over them. His heart was filled with new joy, new gratitude and new hope to keywords to keywords to keywords cultivate thankfulness work at cultivate type's so very, very much to be thankful. I think if you remember grace like church you have a lot to be thankful for were still repenting were still learning were still growing with a lot of things on track here that are far, far, far too rare in churches today have much to be thankful for something close with these two brief expectations for us this year and our Christmas love offering I challenge you to be like Mary number one let's all be like Mary in spirit.

She gave out of a love for Christ and a love for the purposes of God that were being accomplished there. Right before she was like the sinks mentioned in second Corinthians 81 through five, Paul writes the church at Corinth and says no brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God by the grace of God. This was happening, which is been given in the churches of Macedonia that in great ordeal of affliction. I noticed this, their abundance of joy there deeply elected they're gone through terrible trials and full of joy about it, only Christians get that in their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. Fry testified that according to their ability and beyond their ability. They gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, this lease were local churches supporting another local church is all about your and this not as we had expected. Here he says here's the key.

They first gave themselves to the Lord to us by the will of God. That was Mary spirit she'd given herself to the Lord. He's all that mattered. Nothing compared to him. Let's all give like Mary in spirit out of a love for God and love for his son, Jesus Christ, and a love for his purposes to his church now for some maybe you need to purpose to give like Mary in quantity and quantity. This is almost a year's wages and perfume that was poured out on his feet. You know what Mary did listen to me. Mary did not give back calculation she gave out of adoration, not calculation, but adoration now to be balanced. This is not an absolute truth for the church for all ages. As far as we know, Mary never gave like this before. This probable she never gave like this again this is just a time in history, God was there incarnate she grasp this precious body has been given for my sins. She didn't calculate well if Martha gives this much, and Lazarus will give this much and by the way he's raising the dead.

He ought to. And if I've given this amount in the 12 disciples keeping keep getting get this upswing calculate that all that up and here's the gift we will give no no no no no no, it didn't matter to married if anyone else did anything else she can't help it.

What this Christ is done for them.

I did everything she not saying that giving back calculation is always wrong, but it often is challenge you to give out of adoration and maybe this year's Christmas love offering. There's one of you there. Some of you that will be like Mary and throw everything to the wind and say I want to give show my deep love for my Savior do something extravagant for his body like Mary did for the body of Jesus and is always willing to say this I don't look at what people in the church give not saying will be wrong to others. Don't do it. I don't know what you give the last time I looked at giving I was looking at the staffs giving that was many, many, many years ago to make sure they were living what we profess to live before people, I can say this, you're welcome to go to our elders and look at my giving anytime you would like don't calculate my salary because it's far more than a time. I will say that to be braggadocio just the discipline. Pam and I developed. But make sure you give, not grudgingly or under compulsion subscriptions. God loves a cheerful giver. Maybe this year's the year. Some of you do that maybe once-in-a-lifetime thing. Mary didn't do something extravagant just simply because you don't care what anybody else does. Does or does not do your love for the Savior compels you be like Mary may not be God's will for you. I don't know but I think it might