Poured out or Wasted?
14 March 10
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!
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