Let us pray
Our primary text this morning comes from the Gospel of John Chapter 12
John 12
1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,
5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.
8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.
9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
14 And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.
16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.
17 The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.
18 For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.
19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.
20 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:
***I want to pause for a minute here and go to Mark’s gospel to read this account because the time of this anointing on Jesus was much closer to the last supper and the Christ crucifixion:
Mark 14
1 After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
2 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.
3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
***The 1st point of the message today: Never underestimate the impact of your love offering to the Lord.
I heard a very powerful message by one of the misters speaking at a Ramp School of Ministry event. I will never forget him describing the impact of Mary’s offering this way:
Mark tells us it was 2 days before Jesus was crucified in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper Mary anoints Jesus head, John tells us there was so much ointment oil that it makes it down to his feet and the extra oil Mary whip with her Hair.
John remembers that the whole house is filled with the odor of the offering.
Both John and Mark record Judgmental spirit of Judas and others as they are jealous and judgmental about Mary’s offering, About Mary’s Gift to the Lord. They call it a waste!
***The 1st point of the message: Never underestimate the impact of your love offering to the Lord.
****The 2nd point of the message: People may not value or understand but Jesus will always receive your love offering to him.
People say it is a waste of time, energy and effort. People say use that to do something for someone in need. Jesus says I love you and I value you! Jesus says it is never a waste of time to Love on Me. It is never a waste of Time to Worship me. It is never a waste of time to be intimate and extravert with me.
****Think about this, Mary in the room full of people does not care what others think but only cares about her intimacy with Jesus.
Now Jesus goes out to the Garden to pray. What goes with Jesus…..Mary’s offering.
Jesus is kissed and betrayed by Judas, he is arrested…..and taken to the Jewish leaders, the Sanhedrin but there was something else with him in the room. Mary’s offering
Jesus goes to Pontius Pilate’s Judgement Hall, He is the Governer of Rome over the Province of Judaea and what goes with Jesus into the judgement hall: Mary’s offering.
As the Crown of Thorns are beaten on to the head of Jesus and the stripes are laid on his back mixing with the Blood running down his head and his back are sweat and the odor of Mary’s offering.
As Jesus is laid on the Cross the nails going into his hands and feet the soldiers are holding his coat and wafting through their hands and the air around the cross is the scent and essence of Mary’s offering.
***The 1st point of the message: Never underestimate the impact of your love offering to the Lord.
****The 2nd point of the message: People may not value or understand but Jesus will always receive your love offering to him.
This morning as I was preparing this message the Lord expanded my understanding of what Mary was doing when she anointed Jesus body with the precious anointing oil. Of course, Jesus said himself that she was doing it for his burying knowing that within 48 hours he would be in the tomb…. John 12:7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.
But something else is going on here as well. As I was laying in bed this morning praying before opening my eyes the Holy Spirit brought to my mind the image of Jesus being lifted up as a wave offering before the Lord. Jesus being the bread of life, anointed with the oil by Mary.
You see it will only be 24 hours and Jesus will be eating the last supper with his disciples and Jesus will be taking the Bread and breaking it and saying: Take, eat, This is my body which is broken for you………
John 6:48-58 KJV
I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
***In John 12:32-33 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
***The 1st point of the message: Never underestimate the impact of your love offering to the Lord.
****The 2nd point of the message: People may not value or understand but Jesus will always receive your love offering to him.
***The 3rd point of the message: Jesus fulfilled all the work on the cross for your salvation, sanctification and consecration
1 Peter 2:7-10
7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
*** Now you may be asking. Pastor Jon what do you mean by point #3
Jesus fulfilled all the work on the cross for your salvation, sanctification and consecration
***I want to take you to the book of Exodus Chapter 29. In this passage of Scripture, we see that God is giving Moses instructions for the Consecration of the Priest to serve in the ministry. I want you to note that there are serval things required for the consecration, for the setting apart for the making, the men who will serve as priest Hallowed or Holy.
Exodus 29
King James Version
1 And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest's office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish,
2 And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them.
3 And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams.
4 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.
5 And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod:
In this passage of Scripture we see that God is giving Moses instructions for the Consecration of the Priest to serve in the ministry. I want you to note that there are serval things required for the consecration, for the setting apart for the making the men who will serve as priest Hallow or Holy.
Here is what they had to bring 1 Bullock, 2 rams, unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil:
The first Bullock would be killed as an offering for Sin, Verses 10-12
10 And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock. 11 And thou shalt kill the bullock before the Lord, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.12 And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar.
The 1st Ram would be the Peace Offering to the Lord, Verses 15-18
15 Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.16 And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar.17 And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him, and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head.18 And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the Lord: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the Lord.
The 2nd Ram would be the Consecration Offering, Verses 19-21
19 And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.20 Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.21 And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him.
Next would be the Wave offering and Heave offering unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil
22 Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and the right shoulder; for it is a ram of consecration: 23 And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the Lord: 24 And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt wave them for a wave offering before the Lord.
***My Friends I want you to see clearly today:
- Jesus is the offering for our Sin
- Jesus is the offering for our Peace
- Jesus is the offering for our Consecration
- Jesus is the bread of life our Wave and Heave offering of thanksgiving before the Father God.
It is by Jesus was are saved, sanctified and anointed into ministry.
***The 1st point of the message: Never underestimate the impact of your love offering to the Lord.
****The 2nd point of the message: People may not value or understand but Jesus will always receive your love offering to him.
***The 3rd point of the message: Jesus fulfilled all the work on the cross for your salvation, sanctification and consecration
***Point #4: Jesus has called us out of Darkness to walk in the light.
Let’s go back to John 12:21
21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.
23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
***The 1st point of the message: Never underestimate the impact of your love offering to the Lord.
****The 2nd point of the message: People may not value or understand but Jesus will always receive your love offering to him.
***The 3rd point of the message: Jesus fulfilled all the work on the cross for your salvation, sanctification and consecration
***Point #4: Jesus has called us out of Darkness to walk in the light.
***The 5th and Closing Point of the Message today: The gap between believing and confessing is the difference between heaven and Hell.
44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
Matthew 10:31-33
31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Romans 10:8-13
King James Version
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.