Hating and Loving Christ (Part C)

This is an option for us, not positive doctrine.

Some of the disciples appear to have sided with him supposing that he knew what he was talking about and so that's why when Mark and Matthew tell the story they did. They do not isolated to Judas.

John does he drills down the Jews was the one that started this, some of the others kindness that yeah that's a good point church troublemakers can be very effective, leading people who did not come to follow them. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville*is currently teaching through the gospel of Mark.

Please stay with us after today's message here. More information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, and now here's Pastor Rick with the conclusion of his message called hating and loving Christ in Mark chapter 14.

This is costly oil nor the plant that grows untold.

The nape all that way. Of course you make an essential oil motor oils, essential to I should add enough so then they used it as an ointment and perfume for special occasions because of us. You know, costly. Therefore probably been in the family a long time and you just break it out. Every now and then.

Evidently not often be God maybe not at all because she breaks the flask probably could not get the seal off and she's about fine and and then she uses it on sparingly on the Lord, which is an emblem of her devotion and love. She doesn't care about the cost of the oil to her is more valuable to show him love then to keep this up on the shelf. Then she broke the flask and poured it on his head now in John 12 says his feet. Well, she had enough to do both. And that is what she did her love for him is going to memorialize this event, not the sheet you spent expensive oil. Judas is telling the story, yes, but Christ is of course developing the story and the apostles are telling it and what they're saying is there's this outpouring of love on the Lord and he took issue with anybody criticizing her for this apparently extravagant devotion. No other love is to be greater than the love we have for Christ is not always easy because we can't see Christ as we can see some of each other, our children, for example, first Peter now remember Peter writing to Christians and who were persecuted in first Peter any rights of them and he says you know you didn't see Christ. I did what you love him just as much as me and he was taken by this and so he writes he says room having not seen you love. Though you do not see him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory struck him as Peter and assembly singing worship songs with the people and he saying they have is just their intensity of love for Christ is matching my intensity and I walked with him. That is the work of the Holy Spirit.

This this unfair life that we face raises its Medusa head with questions and challenges about God and our faith and our love for him. God knows that God says this you know when you go through struggles and you don't understand, and you actually offended with God. Why doesn't he does something Jesus said this Blessed is he who is not affected because of me. The one that can serve me without explanation is the one that's going to be blessed once they find out who I am Bill trust that much first, but if they make it a condition of serving me. If they say if Christ, you are offending me I can't serve you anymore than you become Judas is profound beatitude is it not blessed is he who is not offended because of me. Her Lords enemies were out to kill him. I'm not so sure she knew it. He knew it.

He is the one that says she's doing this my burial. She doesn't say that she just pouring love out on him. She may have. She is saying this is all I can do for him anyway. I can just show up in Longhorn him to others it may be meaningless. We just saw our young brother. This play the song for the Lord. That's assuming that's that's the same spirit.

This is what I can do these last acts of love and loyalty by various believers are, in contrast to these acts of violence that are directed towards him and must've been bittersweet for Christ to see her loving on him, but knowing the few days. Her heart was going to be smash.

Isaiah says he is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. So the next time you grieving how God's handling something you understand. He knew he understood that to be had. He saw all the beggars the lepers there were people we could not reach. He knew there were people that he would heal and they still wouldn't believe he knew that Judas would be used by him to do miracles to hear his preaching and still rebel against him, how do you not have a broken heart over something like that. Verse four.

There were some who were indignant among themselves and said why was this fragrant oil wasted.

John names him John said this was Judas John chapter 12 verse six this he said not that he cared for the poor because he was a thief and had the money box and he used the used to take what was put in it. He was in embezzler a thief so when this protest is this money wise is not oil being wasted.

How do you consider it wasted up its port on Christ, OSU Judas, he does that doctrine for us, not positive doctrine. Some of the disciples appear to have sided with him supposing that he knew what he was talking about and so that's why when Mark and Matthew tell the story they did. They do not isolated to Judas. John does he drill the download. Judas was the one that started this, some of the others kindness and yeah that's a good point church troublemakers can be very effective, leading people who did not come to follow them saved in OP to go to said if John rodeo to join in with with Judas, just for example, Peter could someone you doing with income you listen to Judas became to listen to Christ, thus leading people out of a church that God led them into happens too frequently seeds of discord amongst brethren in which the Proverbs chapter 6 make it very clear.

God hates sowing seeds of discord amongst the brethren, if you know someone is going to a church and he loved the church and I getting for the word of God. Don't try to get them to come out of their church encouraged them again.

By this time he had been a long time embezzler so he reasons, we could have sold. All of this oil for a big profit. I would've had more to embezzle, there would've been a large activity for me to take from a pot that is cash so he was being slighted and I was just starting verse five he continues Ford might have been sold for more than 300 denarii and given to the poor and they criticized her sharply. She was criticized the loving on the Lord for spending her money, her away on her Lord. Second Corinthians 9 select each one of you or me so that each one. Give as he prospers in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity for God loves a cheerful giver.

She's not complaining going to anoint his head and it doesn't mean poor drop on she's going to pour on and then his feet Christian men who get to be advisors to the church that there's lessons they have to learn not all of the lessons of the business world. Business acumen and God stewardship. They don't always match for the church is not always about profit margins of the dollars.

A church can be solvent and have profit secondary we have an enough to live off to do what we have to do in the business world that wouldn't fly. You gotta be at those margins and that's understandable. Missing one is long and the others right thing. The not automatic fit. She noticed that they were ganging up on her and so did Christ.

Verse four verse six Jesus said, let her alone. Why do you trouble her.

She has done a good work for me. I don't think that was his tone. I think he got a little sharp with.

I think he knew he was. I think you prove intentionally provoking G Judas because he knew that he was going to be traded on the feast at the feast and not after. And this was the moment the bystanders could hear them murmuring in their criticism witticisms but they also heard him stick up for her, just like you do when you confuse sometimes in the Holy Spirit comes along and encourages and says I'm with you, you're right on this but you know that's not enough is not enough to be right as much fun as it is. It is this more to it, you've gotta learn how to use being right of those who have discernment of when their right and others do not have. It is very painful as no one's listening to you. In fact, they could be attacking your own brothers and sisters in the faith that your overboard with that all that's not going to happen and then it happens in the no one was to come.

You are right sometimes and dislike even more for being right.

Anyway, she has done a good work for me. He says there are works by Christians that are outstanding. Quite amazing, but there also works that are not so good, so the seven churches in Revelation to each one.

Christ brings up works and it was it's unfortunate that the five churches who were rebuked the address he said you are you doing is worth what C said you works and what to the others that you doing these works but that's not enough.

You have bad doctrine or you have no love you have a name that you're alive, or you are supporting those who hate me, and so he did. He dealt with this and we have to listen.

Okay she's done a good work. I want to do good work and I'll I don't want any abuse rebuked attached to it. I want to just hear him say well done.

Not well done, but as he did to the seven churches, and so there is a great lesson here not take lightly. She's done a good work for me in their face. He goes with this verse seven, you have the poor with you always.

Whatever you wish, you may do them good with me. You do not always have is always semi-trying to tell you how to spend your stuff is there not there plenty of opportunities to minister to the poor. In fact, you could still Judas in which he was telling the way for me to do that at any time if one of you have somebody in the church is struggling though is not a burden of the church. What about you.

You help that person out. The New Testament gives strict guidelines on this when Paul because people were abusing the church.

It is not the primary burden of the church to address social services. It is the primary burden of the church to preach the word to society who will address social services.

This is the history of Western civilization, hospitals, asylums, these things came out from the hearts of Christians from their faith in Christ. Slavery was put down because of Christian people and their influence on society. So it does matter, and I'm a firm believer, I have a cash register in my office. Believe it or not is not a prosperity thing went years ago we were we were going to, you know, I have sort of a restaurant in the In the café and so we began doing that would let me just grab your passives would have to chart for the food for the food discounted but nonetheless it would be there God put the kibosh on that. He just swooped down after I bought the hundred dollar cash register is still in the box never been taken out. He just swooped down and said no and what he said to me was be at church just be a church. All I need from you. Be a church that an entertainment center. Not this, not that preach the word and you know there's a long list of Christians who don't care for that they have an agenda and they think the church should be part of that process. Church owes you truth and love.

A place to assemble and receive the word and everything after that is bonus and this is why so many churches, but I think become entangled in things they should not and the next thing you know there social centers. The word is not preached anymore on the same is happens all the time it happens a lot of the times poor. You have with you always. Don't try to get the church to do your work. You go do it and so that's what he is saying listen. This money could have been taken as the hours are little entity year and we could these as you go do this. A lot of people are insulted by this because I think it since insensitive in its calluses. Not quite the other way around.

If you can keep the church pure. The people that are in that assembly. They will do good works, and this is been the case in history just doesn't last long before the church that those good churches are eventually infiltrated either the pastor dies, another guy comes and he's not that all that and your problems well. I've spent enough time on that lets her move in church history of courses loaded with the behavior of Christians who were influenced by good preaching from the word that went out into the world and did great things. How many people left that church and Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, Charles Spurgeon, church, and he went out into the world and its home money.

Things because of good preaching.

Anyway, verse, verse eight she has done what she could. She has come before hand to anoint my body for burial.

Nobody can meet every need, but we can meet the ones of God gives us. You may have a need in abundance, assisting, and he met with humans right.

I'm now a vegetarian, you gotta be one we we we we are prone to do things like that. I'm now starting to do exercises. You've got to start doing exercise. I'm getting a jig you and me audit honorably. I watch that kind of stuff. Anyway, he says she is done what she could what she could. What she could is not doing what Peter could and Peter is not being called to do what she could. He doesn't say Peter, where's your flask is a church or we support missions and do things that we can do. Philippians chapter 2 verse 16 pulses holding fast the word of life to Titus, he says, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught that he may be able by sound teaching both to exhort and convict those who contradict take that away from the church and you just have something else were no longer the called out ones she says in verse eight she has come before hand to anoint my body for burial to her again. The value was in loving Christ not in cashing in on her family heirloom of spikenard his apostles. They blocked out the thought of death.

His death and his resurrection. That was almost anathema with those guys. But he kept putting it in front of them. They were fairly worn.

None of them should've been shocked by his death on paper, but when it comes to human emotion. What would you think I'm interested in sports. If you had a hero that every time he got up to bat baseball hit a homerun one time he gets a trip will you be pretty upset was a homerun well with Tracy or someone who just healed people does not. I was untouchable until he said he could be touched and were ready for that verse nine.

Surely, I say to you nice putting them in their place and I think the stones are pretty firm. I don't think this is that soft, gentle tone.

I think he's he's a little upset that they attacked. This lasts, but showing love because greed was the motive is so verse nine. Surely I see you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her. He could've said that about a lot of things he could've said that about Peter walking on the water, but he says about this one as as I am doing now, another passes when they come to this and when you view share this word we are fulfilling this prophecy. This promise and we are doing and usually without protest, but there's more. So he put Judas in his place, and he's the leader of this little mini rebellion. Verse 10 then Judas Iscariot, one of the 12, went to the chief priest to betray him to them. You see the connection. He starts out they want to kill him. Mark puts the story in about when Judas got put in his place, and now he says now, Judas is the straw that broke the camels back. It's a connection. Even though it happened days earlier from where we are with the narrative of the high priest ties it in for us. He says there is where it's it was always there. He was embezzling. He was not intended to be part of the congregation, but he was not. Now he says this. This is the moment where he finally decides okay. He marched into route to Jerusalem, or one that Palm Sunday, he didn't take over the city. Now he's wasting property disguised just not for me.

And this is how he is thinking thinking is conscience seared with a hot iron insulted for being corrected now you Christian adults who may from time to time have to be corrected.

Maybe it's the spouse. Maybe it's a pastor. Maybe it's the preaching. Maybe it's a friend about you children of all ages.

When you're corrected when you know you're wrong and you are correct. Forget about of us gentle or harsh just by the facts. What is your response to that. But here's what the proverb says the Proverbs was written for people who can't figure out on their own. That's us. Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. There is I didn't write it.

That said that's exactly perfect translation from the Hebrew it's it's almost like a parenting. Are you stupid what you what were you thinking and hope. And so you either get angry when their right or you submit an things get better very quickly.

Right or wrong. People hate to be caught up.

Well, I mean understand why they had to be, why do they then turn against the person that for pointing out what they just in front of everyone.

Liars hate to be lied to.

That's not lysing to be caught line in the sense that they won't admit it to get a smug face. You know that look when you've busted somebody for lying, and they get that look you want.

Just, you know what doing would you can always do it it it. So is it okay to beat up somebody and nobody catches you know it's not okay.

We chuckle, because as we like to do. Sometimes verse but one thing I like about almost done, cartoons of the old ones. Nothing the you know the Bugs Bunny ones the Looney Tunes. They expressed human emotion without real consequence to me. The travel piano and semi that irritated you and it wouldn't die. She could give him a balmy blow if need be there at all. Do know sin is in everything but be back in the next scene. Unfortunately, life is not that way you can drop a bomb with just a few words and devastation to somebody so we have to be careful verse verse 11 and when they heard it, they were glad glad that you succumb to them and promised to give him money so he sought how he might conveniently betray him conveniently.

How convenient.

We say to people when they take the evil path because the right way is too difficult.you know the saying, any dead fish can swim downstream takes a live one to go against Street and that's what righteousness is righteousness goes against the stream of this world.

It swims in the opposite direction and the opposition can intensify a but that that is calling in life is to not go with convenience. Nothing wrong with things that are convenient, so long as they do not silence righteousness. What is correct. This is what gangsters do they look for opportunity to off the opposition. Matthew 26 verse 15 gives us what Judah said in response what are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you and they counted out for him 30 pieces of silver.

So from that time he saw an opportunity. People still reject Christ and endured for far less than 30 pieces of silver to this day, what are we going to do about that, growing in Christ is all we have to grow in Christ will direct us to move. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com once you're there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio. You can search for cross reference radio on your favorite podcast app that's all we have time for today, but we hope you'll join us next time. As Pastor Rick continues to teach through the book of Mark right here on cross reference radio