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The Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer
Setting the Stage
Setting the Stage
Take Note of the Sisters
Take Note of the Sisters
The dinner banquet for the celebration of Christ is at Simon the Leper’s house.
Multiple families would have chipped in their goods to make the banquet possible, and elaborate.
We’re told in the gospel of Luke of a similar situation that occured previous to John 12, in the ministry of Christ.
Martha
Martha
You’ll remember in…
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.
There was a time previously where Jesus was in the home of Martha and Mary.
But it went quite different.
40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Martha was distracted in her service to the Lord.
The benefits, position, consequences of others caused her to be troubled…
And, frankly miss the entire point of her service to the Lord.
Now, this time, we read…
2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table.
We notice Martha serving at this dinner celebration for Christ.
Lazarus is reclining at table with Jesus.
Mary is back at the feet of Jesus.
Martha is not complaining about Mary not helping.
Martha is not jealous of her position during the dinner.
You know why?
Because Martha was serving this time with a Christ-honoring celebratory joy in her heart this time.
Do you see the difference in Martha’s service?
This is the way to serve the Lord.
This is the type of service the Lord is worthy of from us.
This time she wasn’t distracted with the opportunties or position of others.
She was joyful of the work of Christ in her life.
What is driving your ministry, your service, your volunteering?
Is it position, recognition?
Are these types of things distracting you?
Or are you serving the Lord with a celebratory joy over the work of the Lord in your life?
Mary
Mary
In the same previous event that we read of Martha, we also read of Mary.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.
Mary who had previously sat at Jesus’ feet showing her affection to Jesus by listening and learning from Him…
Now, she shows up at His feet, not to show her affection by listening…
3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
But, to show her affection through the service of giving.
Let’s think about this…
Let’s think about this…
There are many ways and manners in which to serve the Lord.
Some are gifted in giving/generosity.
Some are gifted in learning/listening.
Some in teaching.
Some in serving.
We can all do most, if not all in some fashion.
But that doesn’t mean we are gifted in most or all.
There’s a time to give.
There’s a time to serve.
There’s a time to learn.
There’s a time to listen.
There’s a time to speak/teach.
There should be discernment used of the timing of the different ways of serving…
But, the real matter of the heart is the motive of the heart.
We grow tired of ministry when our heart is not centered on…
And overflowing with the joy for the work of the Lord…
And the presence of the Lord in our life.
This is not to say that we may not need a break from ministry…
A vacation, a sabbatical, maybe a shift in ministry…
But, dear friends, we should never retire from ministries of service to the Lord…
There may be shifts due to health or age or abilities…
But, death is the only reason to retire from ministry in this life.
Prayer may be the only ministry one is capable of…
But, it is one of the most powerful ministries one can partake in.
Oh, the thought of not serving the Lord can only come from worldly distractions and worldly desires that trouble us from time to time.
But, when we become distracted, we need to refocus on the gospel…
We need to refocus on Christ and the blessings we have in Him that do not fade away.
The Devil Always Opposes the glory of God with Counterfeits
The Devil Always Opposes the glory of God with Counterfeits
The 30 Pieces Leaves Judas Empty
The 30 Pieces Leaves Judas Empty
Let’s think about this…
Let’s think about this…
The very things that distract you in and towards ministry are quite often the counterfeits that the Devil and his domain offer us instead of the real essence of joy—Christ.
Point 2
Point 2
Point 3
Point 3
Let’s think about this...
Let’s think about this...
Insert
Insert
Many people, when they become a Christian, go through this notion that it would be better if we could just go back to the times of Jesus.
If we could take the church back to the times of the Apostles.
If we could just raise our children in the environment of Jerusalem in the days of Christ.
Huh?
We’ve probably all thought that way, at least at the beginning of our Christian life.
Like we’re coming out of Egypt, but still close to Egypt and we’re afraid that anything that resembles Egypt may lead us back to Egypt.
So, we enter this legalistic mindset that really can only lead to not being in this world.
But, that’s not possible on our timing, so we just set up walls of rules to help us feel safe and secure from outside influence…
All the while the most devilish influence that exists is inside each of us…
—> Our sinful hearts
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer
