Centennial Park Baptist Church – Sunday February 21st, 2010 – 10:30 am

 

THE LORD’S FINAL WEEK

 

Let’s see how Jesus spent His final days.  Let’s find out what mattered to the Son of God.  When a person knows the end is near, only the important surfaces.  The trivial is bypassed.  That which is vital remains.

 

John 12: 1-8

 

1Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.  2So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.  3Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, 5”Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?”  6Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.  7Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial.  8”For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”

 

Day 1

 

1. Setting – Bethany

 

            - Home of Simon, a leper whom Jesus had healed

 

2. Stark Contrast

 

 JUDAS

 

            - CALLED to be one of Christ’s disciples

 

            - RECEIVED power to heal

 

            - WALKED with Jesus for 3 years

 

            - NOT a true believer

 

            - HAD every opportunity to be saved

 

Judas’ life is a warning to those who pretend to serve Christ but whose hearts are far from God.  He is also a warning to those who waste their opportunities and their lives.

 

Bottom Line:  Bitterly DISAPPOINTED

 

 

 

 

 

MARY

 

            - ALWAYS at the feet of Jesus

 

            - GAVE her best to Jesus

 

            - Nothing given to Jesus in love is ever wasted.

 

Bottom Line:  Passionately DEVOTED

 

 

3. Secrets of Moving From Discouragement to Devoted

 

            1st – TURN to God – Luke 10: 38-42

 

            2nd – TRY to understand what God is doing

 

            You may see nothing but drudgery in your life.  You need to see what God is     doing IN you, WITH you,  and FOR you.

 

            3rd – TRUST the promises of God

 

            In times of discouragements, Run…. Don’t walk ….. to the Word of God.

 

 

Confused?  “ I know what I am planning for you, says the Lord, I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you”. Jeremiah 29:11

 

 

 Failure?   “ So now, those who are in Christ Jesus are not judged guilty”. Romans 8:1

 

 

Alone?  “ I am the Holy One, and I am among you”.  Hosea 11:9

 

 

Unloved?  “ Understand the greatness of Christ’s love  - how wide, and how long, and                               how high and how deep that it is.  Christ’s love is greater that anyone can even                 know”.  Eph. 3:18 -19

 

Here lies a miser who lived for himself,

And cared for nothing but gathering wealth;

Now where he is or how he fares,

Nobody knows, and nobody cares.

 

Sacred to the memory of Charles Gordon, who at all times and everywhere:

 

            * Gave his strength to the weak

            * His substance to the poor

            * His sympathy to the suffering

            * His heart to God