Poured out or Wasted?

14 March 10

 

  1. Introduction:

Luke 10:27

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself”

·      The nature of God is Love – love fills the atmosphere of heaven

·      All of the Bible summed up in ‘Love the Lord, Love people’

·      Without love all we do is like a ‘clanging symbol’

·      1 Cor 13:1-3  Love is foundational to the life God called us to live

·      Love pours out in Worship! Love pours out in Service!

 

  1. Love Pours Out in Worship:

Mk 14:3-6  Woman with alabaster box of precious ointment

a)  Very Costly Oil – ‘Poured it out’ v3

·      Great value, very expensive oil

·      She broke the seal on the bottle and poured it out on Jesus head

·      We are created to glorify God, honor God, and Worship God

·      Poured out

i)        Passion – feeling emotion

ii)       Generosity – extravagance

iii)     Sacrifice – great personal cost, deliberate decision

 

b)  Strongly Criticized – ‘Wasted’ v5

·      She was strongly criticized – angry reaction

·      Accusation of ‘Waste’ Jn 12:4

·      Her extravagant love was attacked and accused – Waste!

·      Jam 4:14 

“What is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for little time and he vanishes away”

-          From earthly view point – the spirit realm seems unreal

-          From the spirit realm – earthly things seem like vapor, only spiritual substance are real

·      What is waste?

Ø  Musicians – playing without passion

Ø  Church building – without the presence of God

Ø  Harboring offence – drawing back from others

Ø  Opportunity for freedom – never responsible

Ø  Spiritual experiences – never share the Gospel

Ø  Learn gifts of the Holy Spirit – but never minister

Ø  Spectator – never building the home

Ø  Education – with no eternal purpose

Ø  Business – no heart for mission

Ø  Position/influence – not representing Christ

Ø  Addicted – not coming to Christ

Ø  Marriage breakup – not seeking the Lord for reconciliation

Ø  Believe – never add a person to the Kingdom

·      Jesus response – ‘leave her alone’

·      Love pours out in worship and Praise.

 

3.      Love Pours out in service:

·      Mk 3:13-16

“Chose them to be with Him that He might sent them”

Ø  Jesus’ intention: Passion for Him – poured out for people

Ø  Spiritual experiences without engagement actually blocks the goal to spiritual growth

Ø  Goal of spiritual experience is poured out in Service

·      Mk 9:36 – 10:2  Jesus moved with compassion – sent men!

·      Lk 22:30  These men were pioneers – poured out in Service!

i)        Simon Peter: AD64 Crucified upside down – he influenced a city and a region, 3000 saved

ii)       Andrew: AD60  Crucified upside down in Greece, preached in Greece, Asia Manor, Russia, Poland – preached the message of Christ and His love

iii)     James: AD44  Huge public trail and beheaded in Jerusalem, preached all over Samaria to Spain. Killed in Jerusalem by Herod, defended faith, spoke fearlessly. Officer in charge of James won o Christ and also beheaded

iv)    John: AD101  Lived till old age, boiled in a basin of oil but did not die. Founded numerous churches in Asia Minor, served as Bishop in Turkey 

v)     Philip: AD54  Crucified in Greece after being beaten and whipped. Preached throughout Asia

vi)    Bartholomew: AD70  Beaten, flayed and crucified in Armeria for leading King of Armeria to Christ = Christianity become state religion

vii)  Thomas: AD72  Speared to death in Indi. Preached throughout India. Responsible for the birth of Christianity in India

viii) Matthew: AD60  Speared to death in Ethiopia. Wrote the Gospel, preached in Northern Iran and Ethiopia

ix)      James: AD62  Thrown from the Temple in Jerusalem then stoned and clubbed to death continually praying forgiveness for his attackers as he painfully died

x)      Simon: AD74  Crucified in Britain. Preached the Gospel in Africa, Iran, Samaria, Europe, Britain and Asia

xi)     Jude:  AD72  Beaten and stoned to death in Iran. Preached in Syria and Iran

Lk 6:16

xii)   Judas: Suicide in Jerusalem. He was the one who cried ‘Waste’ Jn 12:4-6

His life was wasted, not poured out in service but poured out in suicide

Replaced by Mathias (Act 1:26) who was stoned and beheaded in Jerusalem. Preached in Ethiopia, Egypt Turkey, Judea

·      Return to your first love, the passion for Jesus poured out to people