John Chapter 12:3-11

If it was just about you getting saved than something peculiar would've happened. When that happens the moment you ask the Lord to forgive yourselves another very good lady, whatever that boy that we can cut them but that's not what happens is you get saved and God leaves you right where you are. Your job doesn't change right away. Your friends don't change by what was that his got his plan is really cool. God desires to use you to reach others welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee.

David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. Today we have with this one of David McGee's associate pastors DA Brown for DA. A lot of people really don't understand what God what's it like to be a Christian you should some inside Bob as we continued in the busy life, we must remember that God's plan is to have us reach a hurting, dying and loss world today pastor Dave equips us to do just that. As he continues teaching the gospel of John chapter 12 sound good brother. Now here's David McGee part two of the teaching giving John chapter 12 verse three. Then Mary took a pound of very costly old spikenard anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair in the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil now spikenard is as its point out here is very expensive. It was actually usually produced in India and then shipped to Israel in small containers. Sometimes people with that would be their investment they would invest in these ointments and salves and stuff and two other reasons why she may have had this kind of intriguing. One of them is, it may have been her dowry for her husband in a moment of sacrifice, she ported out on the Lord Jesus Christ.

The other possibility is is intriguing, it may have been for her burial and she decided instead of using it for her burial. She would pour it out on the Lord Jesus Christ. Anyway, you came up with it. It's an incredible sacrifice is an incredible statement that Mary made in her worship of Jesus.

It's an awesome thing and you know it's interesting here is you see a picture and and here's a family man. These people have gotten hold of Jesus at me because look at Mary Martha and Lazarus and what's going on in the in the picture here will first of all you got Lazarus to me and said it before, but I'll say again he was. I mean you know as testimonies go, that's a really good one yeah I was dead. I was in the tomb.

They had to call me out and said he was given what he was given new life. He was given new life. That's where the Christian life starts.

That's where it really begins. See your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ doesn't begin when you walk into a church, I'm sorry but that's not yet.

There's many people this morning that are all over churches that don't know Jesus that don't have new life. It begins when you say to Jesus. Jesus in the center so I have sent. Please forgive me and he does it in your given new life and it doesn't matter given the church one time you've been to church 200 times. This is where we start with a new life and so you have Lazarus there that has the new life and then you have Mary there whose worshiping she got new life and then you have worshiping and Mary is worshiping.

She's at the feet of Jesus. She, sacrificially, you know. Pour in this ointment out on that's worship that is worship. Worship is an important part of the believer's life. That's why on Sunday morning.

We spend time in worship we want to linger in worship we want to take some time 20 minutes 25 minutes, sometimes 30 minutes to linger in worship.

You know why because that is important. That is important, and when somebody when an unbeliever. Maybe some of it straight from the Lord comes into a group of people that are really worshiping Mary nothing like that in the whole world.

People come in and learn how these people are serious. They're not somber they're not seeing in funeral dirge is there dirt actually happy about worship God. This is awesome and so there we have Mary worshiping and then we have Martha we got new life we got worship and what's Martha doing Martha serve Martha serve that such a beautiful little picture of what were supposed to be doing.

As believers we are given new life so that we worship and so now we can serve some people get these inverted some people getting twisted. Some people begin to serve before they're given new life. I'm I'm sorry that that's not really a good thing because here's what can happen. You can start to get confused. You can think, oh God is interested in what I might do for him all known and and and and God is much more interested in what he is Artie done for you. And as we understand what God has done for us, the natural reaction is to worship him and to begin to serve and and I think when when you begin to understand what God has done for your life.

That's just the natural and natural thing this morning. Maybe want to think okay where I am on the scale. I'm sure that I have I mean do I know that I know that I know that have been saved that have been born again. There were many people even ate at the shirt on the video testimony that would've said yes they were when they first came in, but then the more they hurt, the more they listen. They said you don't have what he's talking about. Wonder how I get it. That's why at the end of every service and will do it again today we give people the opportunity to respond to the good news. The good news is that Jesus Christ God for you so that you can be forgiven and when you accept that forgiveness. You are cleansed from all unrighteousness. You're forgiven and because of that we worship now. Worship isn't necessarily music that may shock some I mean is not music.

We use music as a vehicle of worship. It certainly helps to worship. Worship is the first life lesson worship is an expression of thanks for your new life, worshiping and serving one other thing that you see is that they were doing this in the house they were doing this in the house to here's what's happened to the average American. They've kind of separated what happens on Sunday morning and the rest of their life. I go to church on Sunday. Act like this a look like this address like this and the rest of week.

I do whatever I want to. That's not real Christianity is not following Jesus see in this place. It was in the home as he that's that's yet another reason why were encouraging people to get involved with fellow shippers.

We want to encourage people to go on one another's times get to know one another and and have these things start to occur in your daily life. One of things I always encourage people to use have communion because let's remember the first Communion took place in no so when we have it in a church that's a little different when you haven't home that's worse was to happen.

So let me encourage you you you get the mop so you get the grape juice and go have communion.

It's awesome. Thomas had beautiful time to communion with my family want to encourage and verse four. One of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon son, who would betray him, said, why was this fragrant oil not sold for 300 and Mary and given to the poor. That sounds good, sounds noble. That sounds right.

300 generic.

The average wage at the time was up for a laborer is you got one to Mary for a whole day's work.

So 300 and Mary is basically a year's salary for a labor.

It was a lot and done, this sound good and noble and religious and and you'll look at Judas Jude is actually getting some writer standing up.

You want to take care of the poor is he well John makes him know that's not made in the other Gospels leases not brought out this way. He says in verse six this he said that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the money box and used to take what was put in it but I can't put soap different metal molding seat.

Sometimes you can hear somebody say something Rolex out. Watch out for later. Such sounds noble but what's a motivation willing to what's behind the scenes of you will hear you looking behind the scenes and and you you find something that's not good that's interesting to me when you can look at these two people who are interacting with Jesus you look at Judas you'll get Mary what you see there is a giver bears a giver doesn't care much about cost to school poured on Jesus what to love on Jesus, Judas is a taker. Judas is going well, you know I could've. I could rip some of that money off. Had we sold that the life lesson here is God is a giver.

When we give we are more like him. You think I'm just on my finances will not let you off that easy. I'm talking about. Given your life away, serving and loving others given yourself away in ministry certainly includes finances.

Why because finances can be a test of how you feel about God because if were grateful. We should become more like God and that we give and again I'm not talking just the room finances. I'm talking about. In general, because John 316 says what God so loved that he gave God's again, ever.

So when we give were acting like God.

We just worry about taking a friend were acting like Jews and let me ask a question would you rather look like Jesus or Judas. Jesus was a giver.

Judas was a taker when we give that you Jesus is more blessed to give than receive and and that's what you want when you give what what you feel.

I it feels good done it. It feels now there sometimes when it might be the sacrifice and understand that near glycol, you know, but overall he feels God because you're walking as Jesus walked in again. Who do you want to be more like Jesus or Judas Mary or Judas you know there's probably some Mary's in here this morning there name is Mary. I wonder how many people were named Judas in here. This is a place where Judas is failing the test and I believe it led him to other serious errors in judgment, but this is part of the place where it started to go wrong. Verse seven but Jesus said letter alone. She is This for the day of my burial for the poor.

You have with you always be me.

You do not have always. Jesus was defending her and we look at the other examples and in the market Luke. I believe Matthew and Mark, Matthew and Mark of this experience what we have. Judas actually talked the other disciples in the get excited about this and they started to rebuke Jesus about her gifts. That's partly why Jesus is very strongly leave her alone.

Don't mess with her would be in our phrasing. He's not being hardhearted about the poor. He saying you know what this is for my burial.

This is for my burial. The whole thing. The whole recognition is that she was so unselfish and what she did. It was interesting in verse five when when Judas is that you realize it's the first thing that the Gospels record Judas everything. This is his first statement criticizing somebody giving criticizing somebody worship and interesting and it is you don't see Judas saying a lot of good things start off your listening to Pastor David McGee on cross the bridge will be right back with more just a moment, but I want to remind you of the free resources available to you on cross the bridge.com there's a team of hundreds of people that will pray for somebody to be saved. You have a loved one that needs to know Jesus as Savior. You need people to pray for them. You need someone to present God's word to them every day were presenting God's were told here on cross the bridge with Pastor David McGee. We can pray for them as well. Just by simple going to cross the bridge.com and click on the pray for the lost button.

All you need to do is put in the first names of the people you love that needs know Jesus as Savior. Click on submit and immediately hundreds of people begin praying for your lost loved ones. What an awesome way to bring your love ones to Jesus. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown hey Bob were excited about all the people were tuning in today and we want to take a minute to pray for the listening audience is in the cities, Hamburg, Indiana, Cherokee, Iowa, Creston, Des Moines, Marshalltown, also in Kansas, Emporia and Hutchinson guy. We thank you for everyone tuning in today though we pray that they would be ready for you to speak to them. Lord is summer sick. We pray that you please heal them and golly pray for the pastors and churches in this area.

The churches will be reignited in their faith, Lord, that they would turn to you with all her heart, soul and strength to love their community and Lord that these passes would be reminded. You have called them you are going to bless the work that you've called them to do and that they would not grow weary in doing good in Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse, not now.

Great many of the Jews knew that he was there and they came not for Jesus sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. Here again will remind wicked safe. John keeps telling us that you know why because bladder that I mean you know that I know we read the story going allows Lazarus was dead became a lot but now I mean are you really are you really getting this in your heart and your mind. He was dead and the reason that's also important to us is guess what we were before we had new life we were dead we were dead in our sins, is what the word of God says and and maybe our faces registered death and hopelessness and pain and suffering giver set out in a public place and watch people spaces I have and when I go to Molly to be honest sometimes it just tears me up watching people spaces is SCM go behind the hopelessness in her face.

I don't know. I don't know Lazarus new and Lazarus was doing.

The fourth thing in that the report thing is new life worship and servant witnessing witnessing that's what's going on. That's an important part in witnessing takes many forms. Witnessing is a sharing of your faith verbally share in the plan of salvation is also living out your faith in front of other people.

It's also inviting them to experience what you've experienced, by inviting people to church knowing that we are partnering to reach people with the good news of Jesus Christ. Your witnessing to and that's something that again that we want to do and I want to communicate that.

Now if you're here this morning and you've been invited by some I don't feel weird right know just invite because both going to its wake up told me he kept on you friend, because he cares or she cares you have somebody in your life that really cares about you that cared enough to step out risk. The rejection risk the ridicule and invite you to this place they care that much about you.

They want to see you walking with Jesus.

They want to see you with this new life in verse 10, but the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death. Also please you. All right, those are the spiritual leaders of the day.

Mental note there because because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus out notice of many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus. Many of us have been sold. The false bill of goods that the Jewish people rejected the ministry of Jesus is simply untrue.

Here we have an in other places in later this chapter we see many of the Jews believed on Jesus and followed him. And we see that here. What happened is they had started walking down this trail of rejecting Jesus and finding out how to clotting and in their sins snowballed. You know why because that's what sin does. That's what sin does sin snowballs life lesson.

Sin will keep you longer than you wanted to stay and pay you more than you ever wanted to be paid.

That's what sin does keep you longer than you want to stay and pay you more than you ever want to be paid think about my personal history. And it was a youngster experimenting with marijuana didn't stop there. Got on the harder drugs and harder drugs and harder drugs. You know what sin snowballs. What send us that's what sin does so be careful and, obviously, because Lazarus who had what he meant.

Dad yeah I mean I know we keep coming back to that, but again I'll think about that he was dead and now is a lot and thereby what's the deal.

This guy was dead when he was dead. I mean, he was dead. He was in the Jews economy came out to understand we share that in common with Lazard if you've received new life you were dead, you can share that with me. Why was that look away me to read that you like in the tomb with covered with a rock. No, not like that that I was dead last step in a sense of now. Now I found the life now. I found new life and you can share that with people and you know what, the fact is you're supposed to were supposed to tell people were supposed invite people to come to Jesus. That's what were supposed to do that is the natural thing that supposed to occur if it was just about you getting saved than something peculiar would've happened. When that happened the moment you ask the Lord to forgive your sins. Set it up another lap they got ladies don't know what happened at the boy that would kinda cut down on the people to come forward but but that's not what happens is that's not what happens you get saved and God leaves you right where you are.

Your job doesn't change right away. Your friends don't change right away.

The place you live don't change right away was that because God has a plan really Copeland God desires to use you to reach others and we were cynical. I can God use me you that you, God can use you got desires to use you. You stand with a man in front of you that was born a deaf mute they had to spend four years in speech therapy that was addicted to drugs after and God is now using him to reach other people friend if God can use me. Let me Garen teach you. God can use you claim that an and he desires to use the life lesson. This is the last one life lesson here is God's plan is to have us reach a hurting, dying, and lost world. There's people out there that don't know what you know this morning if you're sitting in here and you've been born again and you have new life there's people out there that don't know that don't know what that don't know that Jesus died for their sins. Now, mentally, they may know that in America you have a hard time finding anybody that mentally doesn't know about historically what Jesus did and who he was friend that's not enough is not enough just to know you got a no Romans tonight and sit 10 said that if you believe and confess and 1013 says whosoever calls on the name of the Lord. So for you just to have a mental understanding that Jesus indeed came in. Jesus did indeed died it was for the forgiveness of our sins. That's a start. But that's all it is, it's a start. Do you know this morning I mean do you know that you know that you've received new life because you asked the Lord to forgive you of your sins and some been changed friend if he prayed nothing change that sometimes changes ghost fast sometimes I go slow, but have nothing change when you pray for and you need to seek the Lord in earnest, because those who pray who earnestly believe follow Jesus. Again, that's just a natural thing is a supernatural thing but it's a natural thing that after the Lord forgive you of your sins, you start to follow up. Are you sure are you positive you know that you know that you know this morning that that's happened in your life. If you're not sure, then there's good news I'm getting. If you opportunity to be sure for some of you.

You may be coming back to the Lord for some of you.

You may be praying a prayer that you prayed before but somehow you didn't begin to follow Jesus. Or maybe you're praying this prayer for the first time maybe walked in here this morning so I thought it was about going to church all I thought it was about doing the best you could.

I thought that you know you hope that your good outweighed your bad know that's not the gospel. The gospel is your bad will always outweigh your good into you come to him who is good and then he wipes the scale clean friend loved who wouldn't want to do that and there's no big long pretentious ceremony. It's a short simple prayer that I want to lead you in and maybe you're sitting here this morning. Your thinking you know this is good this is interesting and I need to do this I need to do this one day you need to do it today is friend when you feel that talk on your heart. You need to respond to that took us.

Let me share something if you reject that we share something with you next time you feel that talk on your heart is going to be a little bit easier not to respond, then the next time it will be even easier not to respond to. You can sit there feel nothing at all their as the Lord is speaking to your hearts, tugging on your hearts respond to his invitation, friend. You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Jenna short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous is a congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio through the Internet and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use so if you like to support this ministry.

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What are some ways bless our listeners days you can wake up with her is Casa David with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and the thought to meditate on. Throughout today from the heart of David McGee. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God