kind of riffing off of something that Rick mentioned about New Year's resolutions.
I know not everybody makes New Year's resolutions in our house.
We call them turning over new leaves.
And I am regularly mocked in my house for the amount of new leaves that I tend to turn over during the year.
And they usually have to do with eating, exercising, other things of that nature.
This morning, this first Sunday of 2018, I don't know if you've made New Year's resolutions.
I don't know if you've turned over new leaves.
But I want to call you to make a resolution.
It's not to get physically fit.
It's not to get financially healthy.
It's not to get vocationally positioned to grow in your time management or get right with other people.
Those are all good things.
But what I want to call you to do this morning is the thing of most importance.
It's what God in His Word says this is of first importance.
And I want to call you to make a resolution in light of that.
And to line your life up with it.
This past December, we took a break from the Gospel of Matthew.
And we spent the bulk of our Sunday mornings preaching on the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
God became a man and dwelt among us.
And this morning, we get back into the study of the Gospel of Matthew.
And we get back in in Matthew chapter 26.
And what you need to know about Matthew 26 is,
it's the beginning of the passion of the Christ.
And when we talk about the passion of the King, the passion of Jesus,
we're talking about His suffering and His death that eventually leads to His resurrection.
What you need to know about the passion of Jesus Christ is that it's at the heart of the Gospel.
The heart of the Gospel is Jesus Christ making a sacrificial death on behalf of sinners.
Another way to talk about it is,
if Christ had not been crucified,
there would be no good news of salvation for anybody.
Everything rides on it.
And so this morning, I want to call you to make a life resolution.
Not just a year resolution,
but for the rest of your lives.
We never outgrow the need to be reminded of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We never outgrow the need to be reminded of what He did for us.
So it's good and right to start this new year focusing our Sunday mornings on the passion of the King.
His suffering and His death,
and eventually His resurrection.
And this morning, what I want you to see is that the sacrifice Jesus makes
is the greatest sacrifice,
resulting in the greatest deliverance for the greatest number of people.
And we're going to be looking specifically at a moment
where He's prepared for burial.
We're going to see an unnamed woman
lining up her life with the redemptive purposes of her King.
And though unnamed,
she is memorialized forever.
So this morning, I want to walk us through Matthew chapter 26.
We're going to walk through 19 verses.
Verse 1 through 19, there are five sections in this passage.
I'm going to walk you through each passage,
and I'm going to show you how they relate to one another.
And after we do that, I'm going to say,
here's what it's all saying,
and then we're going to apply it to our lives.
So let's walk through this account.
It starts in Matthew 26, verses 1 through 1 and 2,
in Jesus' final passion prediction.
Listen to what Matthew writes.
When Jesus had finished all these things,
He said to His disciples,
You know that after two days the Passover is coming,
and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.
When Matthew writes,
when Jesus had finished all these things,
He's referring to immediately what He's just got done talking about,
the Olivet Discourse,
Matthew 24 and 25,
when Jesus is talking about the end times,
final judgment.
But He's talking about also all of Jesus' public ministry.
It has come to an end.
From here on out,
when Jesus speaks,
it's going to be more in a private context.
But this is the fourth and final passion prediction that Jesus makes.
Predictions of His suffering and of His death.
And I just, in order to get you ready,
I want you to bring you back to the first passion prediction.
It's in Matthew chapter 16.
Peter has just confessed Jesus as the Christ,
and then Matthew goes on and tells us what Jesus does in light of that.
In verse 21,
from that time,
Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem
and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes,
and be killed,
and on the third day,
be raised.
So back in Matthew 16,
Jesus starts telling His disciples,
I'm going to Jerusalem.
I'm going to suffer, die, and be raised.
If you flip over to Matthew chapter 17,
we have the second passion prediction.
It's in verses 22 and 23.
And they were gathering in Galilee.
They're still up north.
Jesus said to them,
The Son of Man.
That's Jesus' favorite title of Himself.
It's messianic.
It's Christological.
It refers back to Daniel chapter 7,
when God gives this Son of Man the kingdom forever.
As they were gathering in Galilee,
Jesus said to them,
The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men,
and they will kill Him,
and He will be raised on the third day.
And they were greatly distressed.
If you flip over to Matthew chapter 20,
verses 17 and 19,
we have the third passion prediction.
And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem,
He took the 12 disciples aside,
and on the way,
He said to them,
See,
we are going up to Jerusalem,
and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes.
He's going to be betrayed.
And they will condemn Him to death,
and deliver Him over to the Gentiles,
to be mocked, and flogged, and crucified.
This is the first time Jesus tells what kind of death He's going to die,
by Roman crucifixion.
And He will be raised on the third day.
And then that leads us to Matthew 26,
verse 2,
where here Jesus is saying,
for the fourth and final time,
You know that after two days,
the Passover is coming,
and the Son of Man will be delivered up,
to be crucified.
There's something unique about this passion prediction.
Did you notice the word Passover?
You know after two days,
the Passover is coming.
Here's what Jesus is doing.
He is making a connection between His death,
and the Passover.
He wants you to know that.
God wants you to think about Christ's death,
a certain way.
It's going to be a Roman crucifixion,
on the Jewish Passover.
That will be how He dies.
The Son of Man,
the Christ,
will die by crucifixion.
Now,
I don't want to assume you know what Passover is.
So let me just give you a little crash course in it.
Now,
Passover was one of three annual feasts
Jews would make a journey to go to Jerusalem to observe.
And Passover was a feast that spanned over eight days.
It started with Passover
and included the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
And one scholar estimates
that Jerusalem's normal population
would have been about 30,000 people
at kind of normal city life.
But when Passover came,
the city would swell to 180,000 people.
So six times the normal amount of people there.
Jews had to observe Passover in Jerusalem
because the temple was there.
And the temple was there.
And what would happen there
was they would sacrifice
these male, unblemished lambs at the altar.
Blood was shed.
Now,
I don't know how your mind works,
but when I think about 180,000 people
in a city that's normally 30,000
celebrating or observing
a ritual like Passover,
I start asking,
well, how many lambs are involved?
How many?
And so like,
if we just kind of include like
10 people to a family unit
and we divide that by 180,
I mean, we're talking 18,000 lambs per family.
Not per family, but all together.
Even if you just slice that in half,
9,000 lambs,
that's a lot of lambs in the city.
And that's a lot of blood.
Passover was a feast memorializing God's deliverance
of his people from captivity to Egypt.
And we see that in Exodus chapter 12.
Remember Moses saying to Pharaoh,
let my people go.
Israel had been enslaved by Egypt.
And God heard their prayers.
He raised up Moses and says,
Moses, you go tell Pharaoh to let my people go.
And so Moses goes.
And Pharaoh wouldn't listen.
So God starts bringing plagues
after plagues after plagues.
And every time,
Moses is saying,
let my people go.
And Pharaoh would resist.
The plagues would get worse.
And eventually,
the plagues climax
in the tenth and final plague
in which God vows to send
the angel of death,
the destroyer,
to take the life
of every firstborn male in Egypt.
And at that time,
God makes this incredible provision
for his people.
He instructs his people
to kill a male lamb
because the firstborn males
would be struck by the destroyer.
He instructs his people
to take a male,
unblemished lamb
and kill it at twilight
on the night the destroyer comes.
And what they did
with the blood of that lamb
was they took the blood of that lamb
and they spread it over
the doorposts of their homes.
And so when the angel of the Lord
approached that house
and he saw the blood of the lamb,
he passed over the people
under the blood.
The blood of the sacrificed lamb
signaled the angel of death
that those in that house
were covered and protected
by the blood of the lamb.
The lamb was slain
to deliver the people
under the blood.
And so the blood
of the Passover lamb
rescued God's people
from sheer death
that led to their deliverance
from captivity to Egypt
and bring them out.
And this is the deliverance
that defined Israel
as God's people.
So God commanded
this Passover feast
to be observed
every year
for his people
to participate
in forever.
Passover has to do
with death.
It's got to do
with blood.
It's got to do
with passing
over protection.
And Jesus
drops it
here in Matthew
chapter 26
verse 2.
It's two days
from Passover.
He's connecting
the Passover
with his death.
Do you understand
the claim
that Jesus
is starting to make?
Jesus is starting
to make this claim
that his death
is the ultimate
Passover sacrifice.
It's a huge claim.
Jesus at this moment
is fully aware
that God has purposed
that he,
the Christ,
the Son of Man
is to be the ultimate
once for all
Passover sacrifice
for all sinners
everywhere
willing to
acknowledge him.
So what you have
going on here
33 AD in Jerusalem
is a seismic
shift in God's
plan of salvation.
Jesus is making
a claim on the
Passover.
So that's
the first section
of this passage.
Let's go to the
second.
Verses 3 through 5.
Caiaphas house.
Then the chief
priests and the
elders of the people
gathered in the
palace of the
high priest
whose name was
Caiaphas
and plotted together
in order to arrest
Jesus by stealth
and kill him.
But they said
not during the feast
lest there be an
uproar among the
people.
We move from
Jesus' final
passion prediction
in which he's
making a claim
on being the
Passover sacrifice
to Caiaphas house
where the chief
priests and
elders are plotting
the death of
Jesus.
These men are
not only aware
of Jesus but
they're seeing him
as a threat.
It's not good for
their political
position and power.
So they start
plotting to arrest
and kill him.
And what Matthew
lays out for us
is very interesting.
We've got one
plan laid out
the plan of the
Christ that his
death is going to
take place on the
Passover and now
we have another set
of plans by the
leaders of the
people and their
plan seems to be
saying let's not
kill him during
the feast.
Here's what I want
you to notice.
Notice where
they're meeting.
They're meeting
in Caiaphas
house.
a palace.
In verse 3.
Here's what I also
want you to notice.
That Caiaphas
is named.
It's not just
some guy.
It's Caiaphas.
He was a
unique high
priest in Israel
at this time.
He was able to
hold on to power
for about 16 years
which was quite
the political
accomplishment of
that time.
He was politically
savvy.
So they're meeting
in a palace in
Jerusalem.
Caiaphas house.
Prestigious.
It would have been a
nice place.
And notice the
plans.
Verse 5.
They're secretly
trying to arrest,
seeking how to
arrest and kill
Jesus.
But again,
not during the
feast.
I mean 180,000
people.
Surely some of
them are
Galileans.
Jesus has a
following.
If we try to
arrest him,
it's a political
tinderbox.
We could have a
riot on our
hands.
So they're going
to wait him
out.
But they're
looking for an
opportunity.
In this section,
what I want you
to see is that
we have important
people in high
positions plotting
the death of
Jesus in a
really nice
place.
A palace.
And their
plans seem to
be at odds
with the plans
of the Christ.
Christ.
Now we move
on to the
third section.
Verses 6
through 13.
The pouring
of oil on
Jesus by an
unnamed woman.
Let me read
that for you.
Now when Jesus
was at Bethany
in the house
of Simon the
leper, a woman
came up to him
with an alabaster
flask, a very
expensive ointment,
and she poured
it on his head
as he reclined
at table.
And when the
disciples saw it,
they were indignant
saying, why this
waste?
For this could
have been sold
for a
large sum
and given
to the poor.
But Jesus,
aware of this,
said to them,
why do you
trouble the
woman?
For she has
done a
beautiful thing
to me.
For you
always have
the poor
with you,
but you
will not
always have
me.
In pouring
this ointment
on my body,
she has done
it to prepare
me for burial.
Truly I
say to you,
wherever the
gospel is
proclaimed in
the whole
world, what
she has done
will also be
told in
memory of
her.
So here's
the shift
that takes
place.
We've just
been in
Caiaphas'
palace.
He's named.
A plot's
unfolding.
And then
Matthew brings
us from the
palace of
Caiaphas to
the house of
Simon the
leper.
From
palace to
a leper's
house?
In
Bethany?
We go
from the
capital to
some potent
place on
the outskirts.
It's quite a
contrast.
We're not
given the
back story on
Simon the
leper.
I'd love to
know it,
but in order
for Jesus and
other Jews to
be meeting
there, it
must have been
cleansed.
And so one of
the theories is
Simon the
leper was
healed by
Jesus.
That's how
they could
meet there.
Otherwise, it
would have been
unclean and
unallowed for
any Jew to
meet in.
So the
where is in
contrast to
Caiaphas'
palace.
It's a
questionable
place.
A leper's
house?
In
Bethany?
And now,
the who.
verse 7,
a woman came
up to him
with an
alabaster.
She's
unnamed.
If you look
at the rest
of the
section, she
goes nameless.
Verse 10,
why do you
trouble the
woman?
For she
has done a
beautiful thing.
Verse 12,
on my body,
she has done
it.
Verse 13,
what she has
done will
also be told
in memory.
She's never
named.
Caiaphas gets
named.
This woman
doesn't.
It's an
interesting
contrast.
Matthew is
wanting to
draw our
attention to
something.
Now, we
actually know
who this
is.
John 12
spills the
beans.
This is
Mary, the
sister of
Martha and
Lazarus.
Matthew
intentionally
keeps her
anonymous.
We'll come
back to it
in a second.
But this
Mary would
have been
the Mary
in John
11 who
witnessed
Jesus raise
her brother,
dead brother,
up from the
grave.
That's who
this is.
This is the
same Mary in
Luke 10 who
is commended
by Jesus
himself for
sitting at
his feet and
listening to
every word that
came off his
lips as her
sister Martha
is crazily,
busily trying to
facilitate stuff.
this is that
Mary.
But Matthew
intentionally keeps
her anonymous in
order to contrast
her with the
big wig Caiaphas
who's been
named.
Caiaphas is
plotting Christ's
death.
This unnamed
woman is not
plotting his
death.
She's preparing
him to give
his life as a
ransom for many.
she's lining up
with the
Christ's
purposes.
And what we
read is she
comes to Jesus
with an alabaster
flask, a very
expensive ointment
and we learn
from Mark that
this is not just
your everyday oil
that during the
day you put on
somebody as just
kind of a token
welcome.
In our time
this would have
been about 35,
40 grand
of perfume.
That's the value.
It was worth a
year's wage of a
laborer.
35 to 40 grand
of perfume
this unnamed
woman pours out
on the head
of Jesus
in this
leper's house
outside of
the political
capital.
Quite a
contrast.
when you see
a pouring out
of this sort
in the Bible
it's called
an anointing.
And as you
read your
Old Testament
you see a
pouring out
of oil
on somebody's
head.
Typically
it's the
anointing
of a
king.
It's
associated
with kingship.
In 1
Samuel 16
Samuel
anoints
David
by pouring
oil over
his head.
But the
thing is
we're not
told why.
Matthew
doesn't tell
us why
this unnamed
woman pours
this oil
out on
Jesus'
head.
We don't
learn it
from the
other gospel
writers
either.
But you
know what
it's safe
to say?
It's safe
to say that
this pouring
out of
this 35,
40 grand
of perfume
oil,
it was a
lavish
demonstration
of this
unnamed
woman's
devotion
to her
king
Jesus.
And it
stands in
sharp
contrast
to the
plotting
Caiaphas.
It also
stands in
contrast
to the
disciples.
In verses
8 and
9,
they throw
a hissy
fit.
They're
angry.
They go
pragmatic.
They see
her pouring
out a
year's
wage on
this,
on his
head,
and they're
like,
why the
waste?
What are
you doing?
We could
have used
it for
the poor.
I really
think I
would have
done that.
But Jesus
does something
phenomenal.
This is like
my favorite
part.
Jesus,
Jesus goes
to her
defense.
He goes
to bat
for her.
He says,
this is no
waste.
Verse 10,
for she has
done a
beautiful thing
to me.
Opposed to
Caiaphas and
what we'll
read in a
second about
Judas.
It's a
beautiful thing,
not wasteful.
And then
verse 11,
he says,
for you will
always have
the poor
with you,
but you
will not
always have
me.
Jesus is
recognizing
this unique
moment in
salvation
history.
Jesus is
not dismissing
the help
of the poor.
He advocated
it.
What he
is acknowledging
is a very
appropriate
display of
devotion at
a unique
moment in
salvation
history.
He's the
son of
man.
He's the
Christ,
God incarnate,
and he's
coming up
on his
Passover
sacrifice,
and this
woman does
a really
beautiful thing
to him.
In
verse 12,
Jesus declares
that what
she's done
is a beautiful
thing.
it's
preparing
him for
burial.
Here's what
you need
to know
about this.
Jesus
knows he's
going to
die on
a Roman
cross,
and what
you need
to know
about
crucifixion
is when
you get
crucified,
you forego
all burial
rites,
okay?
Here's what
would typically
happen.
You get
crucified,
and either
the body
rots and
disintegrates
on the
cross,
or it
gets cut
down,
falls down,
and scavenged
by animals.
There's no
burial proceedings.
It was a
display of
power by
Rome.
Jesus knows
this.
And so,
this act
of devotion,
and we're not
clear if this
woman knew
that she was
anointing his
body for burial,
we're not told.
But what Jesus
says is,
oh,
this is what
you have
done.
You've
anointed my
body for
burial.
You've
shown me
a kindness
that all
other crucified
bodies typically
don't receive.
A
perfumed
body.
What we see
here is that
Jesus is
thinking about
his crucifixion.
And in
verse 13,
he says,
truly,
I say to
you,
wherever this
gospel is
proclaimed in
the whole
world,
what she has
done will
also be told
in memory of
her.
She is
commended for
her service
in his
great redemptive
act for the
world.
Did you notice
the words,
this gospel?
Look at
verse 13.
I say to
you,
wherever this
gospel is
proclaimed in
the whole
world,
Jesus
already knows
that his
coming death
is going to
be good
news for
the world.
And what
this woman
has done
has lined
up with
his
redemptive
purposes,
his
sacrificial
death.
She has
anointed
his body
for burial
after
crucifixion
on the
Passover.
Quite a
contrast to
Caiaphas,
and it's
quite a
contrast to
Judas.
And this
is the
fourth section
of this
passage.
In verses
14 through
16,
then one
of the
twelve,
whose name
was Judas
Iscariot,
went to
the chief
priest and
said,
what will
you give
me if I
deliver him
over to
you?
And they
paid him
thirty
pieces of
silver,
and from
that moment
he sought
an opportunity
to betray
him.
We've got
another
contrast.
This
unnamed
woman is
now contrasted
with another
named man,
Judas
Iscariot.
Now this
is the
one who
would have
walked with
Jesus for
a long
time.
He would
have seen
first hand
what Jesus
has done.
He would
have heard
with his
own ears
the teaching
that Jesus
taught to
the astonishment
of the
crowds.
He would
have handled
the baskets
of the
leftover bread
of the
feeding of
the five
thousand and
four thousand.
He was
there.
He was
in the
boat when
Jesus calmed
the raging
seas.
He was
there.
He saw
first hand
people raised
from the
dead.
He was
there.
He saw
demons
exercised.
He saw
the blind
see.
He saw
the lame
walk,
the sick
healed.
Of all
people,
why
Judas?
Judas.
We're not
really told.
But what we
know is like
Caiaphas,
he opposed
Jesus.
You know
what's safe
to say?
Jesus is
not
Judas'
Lord.
If you
want to flip
back with me
to the
Sermon on
the Mount,
here's some
sobering
words.
could you
imagine if
Judas was
there,
what he
was thinking
and what
Jesus would
have been
thinking?
Matthew
chapter 7
verse 21,
not everyone
who says to
me,
Lord,
will enter
the kingdom
of heaven,
but the
one who
does the
will of
my father
who is
in heaven.
On
that day
many will
say to
me,
Lord,
did we
not
prophesy
in your
name and
cast out
demons
in your
name and
do many
mighty
works in
your
name?
And
then will
I
declare to
them,
I never
knew you.
depart from
me,
you
workers
of
lawlessness.
You want
to see
what Jesus
is going
to say
to Judas?
We're
going to
talk about
this next
week,
but if you
look at
chapter 26
verse 24,
this is what
Jesus has
to say to
Judas.
The son
of man
goes and
is written
of him,
but woe
to the
man by
whom the
son of
man is
betrayed.
It would
have been
better for
that man
Judas if
he had
not been
born.
what this
man does
here is
the complete
opposite of
this beautiful
devotion by
an unnamed
woman.
It is a
diabolical act
of betrayal
by a named
man.
And if you
notice where
he goes,
he goes to
the chief
priests in
verse 14,
he goes to
them,
and he
goes to
them asking,
what will
you give
me if I
deliver him
over to
you?
If Matthew
gives us
anything as
far as
motive,
it's money.
The
team
Caiaphas
now has
an inside
man,
and that
inside man
is going
to get
paid to
show them
an opportunity
when Jesus
is away
from the
crowds,
Gethsemane.
And
Judas does
it for
30 pieces
of silver.
That might
sound like,
whoa,
30 pieces
of silver,
wow,
that's
impressive.
It's not.
30 pieces
of silver
in our
day was
about
$7,500.
It was a
paltry sum
of money
to hand
over God
incarnate
to die.
But it was
all according
to plan.
It's quite a
contrast.
The name
Judas,
the unnamed
woman,
the delivering
over to
death,
but for a
paltry sum,
and then
the preparing
for burial
at great
cost.
Judas,
the name
remembered as
a perpetual
evil.
Have you ever
been called
a Judas?
And this
unnamed
woman remembered
always for
good.
The final
section is
in verses
17 through
19.
We read,
now on the
first day of
unleavened bread,
the disciples
came to Jesus
saying,
where will you
have us
prepare for you
to eat the
Passover?
He said,
go into the
city to a
certain man
and say to
him,
the teacher
says,
my time
is at
hand.
I will
keep the
Passover
at your
house with
my disciples.
And the
disciples did
as Jesus
had directed
them,
and they
prepared the
Passover.
What Matthew
does here is
he bookends
this passage
with Passover
talk.
He wants
you to be
thinking about
Christ's death
in terms of
Passover.
And I'm not
sure if you
noticed this,
but in
verse 18,
when Jesus
says,
my time
is at
hand,
he's speaking
of his
death.
The Passover
has arrived.
It's two days
later now.
The Passover
has come.
They need to
start preparing
the meal.
I'll elaborate
that next week.
But what Jesus
is saying,
with the coming
of the Passover
is the coming
of his time
to die.
my time
is at
hand.
This passage
begins and
ends with the
bookends of
Passover.
And the way
that Jesus
talks about
it, it
sounds like
he's in
total control.
It's going to
happen in two
days.
My time is
at hand.
And it's
true.
This is
God-ordained,
all of it
from beginning
to end.
Let me try
to summarize
these five
sections in a
slightly different
way.
This passage,
these five
seconds, the
first section
and the
fifth section
are Passover
fulfillment spoken
by Jesus.
It's about
him.
He's the
ultimate
Passover
sacrifice.
And then
section two
and four,
these are
sections about
treachery.
And then the
middle section,
the third
section, is
this unnamed
woman who
does this
beautiful thing
preparing Jesus
for his
burial.
It's all
surrounded by
God's
sovereignty.
Here's the
point of it
all.
God wants
us to
think about
Christ's
death in
terms of
Passover.
He wants
us to be
thinking about
what Christ
did as
sacrifice.
And he
orchestrated it
all by his
sovereignty, both
the good, the
indifferent, and
the really ugly.
It was all under
God's sovereignty
to bring about
the greatest
sacrifice ever
made for all
people.
So we
must see
Christ's
death as
the ultimate
Passover
sacrifice.
He's the
greatest
sacrifice.
It's who he
is.
He's God in
the flesh.
His blood
shed and
God's wrath
passes over.
And he
accomplished the
greatest
deliverance.
Deliverance
from the
captivity to
sin.
Deliverance
from the
fear of
death.
Deliverance
from the
domain of
the devil.
And he
establishes
through this
death a
whole new
people, the
church.
We need to
be thinking
about Christ's
death as
the ultimate
Passover
sacrifice that
has launched
a whole new
season of
salvation on
earth.
I want to
help apply
this in
three ways.
First, I
want you to
realize that
this sacrifice
that Jesus
speaks of,
he's your
sacrifice.
In
Matthew,
Matthew
begins in
Matthew 1
with this
Emmanuel who
is going to
be named
Jesus.
The Lord
saves.
He will
deliver his
people from
their sins.
And then for
the rest of
Matthew, you
have these
passion
predictions of
how God
will save
his people.
And it's
finally realized
here, Matthew
26 and
27.
He is
the sacrifice.
He is
the one
who would
sacrifice himself
for his
people as
a ransom.
So it
fulfills
Matthew's
purpose.
This one
who would
save, saves
by being a
Passover
sacrifice.
But it's
just not
Matthew.
There's this
whole Old
Testament story
of Passover
beginning in
Exodus chapter
12.
God delivers
his people and
it was a real
deliverance.
But God
also had
that aimed
at being
ultimately
fulfilled in
the ultimate
Passover
sacrifice,
Jesus.
A greater
sacrifice to
accomplish a
greater deliverance
for a greater
number of
people.
Do you
remember John
the Baptist
when he lays
eyes on Jesus
in John 1?
Behold, the
Lamb of God
who comes to
take away the
sins of the
world.
sacrifice.
Ultimate
Passover.
In 1 Corinthians
5, 7, the
Apostle Paul, he's
writing to a
primarily Gentile
church.
He says to
them, for
Christ, our
Passover
Lamb has
been sacrificed.
He's paid
it.
It's done.
This morning, I
want you to
realize if you're
a believer in
this room, the
sacrifice has
been made.
It's over.
He's delivered
you.
God's wrath has
passed over you.
He's called you
out and delivered
you from captivity
to sin.
And he's brought
you into the
sweetness of being
in relationship with
him amongst the
new people of the
church.
If you're in this
room and you
have not received
Christ as your
Savior and King,
you need to
realize God is
offering you today
this sacrifice.
It's available
and effectual.
It will change
you.
This sacrifice
is your sacrifice.
His Passover
sacrifice is
for you.
And it's God's
eternal plan that
he sovereignly
accomplished.
The second thing
I want you to
see is by way
of resolution.
Caiaphas,
Judas,
they betrayed
Jesus.
They were
opposed to him.
The disciples,
they were at
best indifferent.
And what we're
going to see in
the rest of this
story is that
these disciples are
going to fall
away in cowardice.
And it's not
until after the
resurrection with
an outpouring of
the Holy Spirit,
these cowardly
disciples are made
courageous
proclaimers.
But it's this
woman that we
must resolve to
be like, to line
up with Christ's
purposes.
Her heart was
one of a humble
worship of her
Christ.
She was giving
him the best
she could at
the time.
And man, she
got criticized
for it.
But Jesus
defended her.
I don't know
where you are
in the room.
I don't know
what you're
thinking about in
terms of giving
to Jesus your
best.
But let me
urge you, give
him everything.
Give him your
entire life.
Live for him.
And if you get
criticized for
being too loud or
too lavish, do you
know what?
Jesus will take
care of you.
Leave it to your
Lord.
Here's a New Year's
resolution.
Here's a life
resolution.
just like this
unnamed woman
who did a
beautiful thing
to Jesus.
Would you line
up your life
with him?
Line it up
with his
purposes.
And he will
take what you
give him and
he will use it
for his glory.
The last piece
of application
is
encouragement.
all throughout
this particular
section, you
see Team
Caiaphas and
you see the
betrayer and
you see the
indifferent
disciples and
you even see
this incredible
outpouring of
devotion from
this unnamed
woman.
All of it
is being
sovereignly worked
out by God.
All of it.
God is
working all
things out
in his
sovereign,
wise care.
God's
sovereignty is
not just
limited to a
week in
33 A.D.
God is
sovereign,
just as
sovereign now,
working out
circumstances
for those
who are
humble to
save.
So be
encouraged.
God is
as sovereign
as ever.
And if you
resolve to
line your
life up with
him, he
will make
much of it.
He will use
it for his
glory and
point others
to him.
Our great
Passover
sacrifice.
Let's pray.
God in
heaven,
God,
we ask
that you
would make
much of
yourself in
and through
us as your
church.
Lord, it
would be our
greatest joy to
think of you
saying to us,
you have done a
beautiful thing.
God, would you
help us
individually and as
a church to
line up our
lives with your
kingdom purposes,
to resolve today
and tomorrow
and however long
you give us to
be about your
fame, your
glory, your
redemptive purposes
around the world.
God, we don't
need notoriety.
We would rather go
unnamed so that
your name is
glorified among all
people.
forcómo.
It's in the name
of Jesus
we pray.
Amen.