WEBVTT

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 Good morning. So, this morning we are reading from Matthew chapter 26 and verse 1 to 29.

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 So, starting verse 1, we read.

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 When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples,

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 You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.

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 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the place of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,

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 and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.

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 But they said, Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.

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 Now, when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leopard,

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 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment,

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 and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table.

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 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying,

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 Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.

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 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them,

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 Why do you trouble the woman?

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 For she has done a beautiful thing to me.

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 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.

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 In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial.

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 Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world,

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 what she has done will also be told in memory of her.

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 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot,

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 went to the chief priests and said,

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 What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?

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 And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.

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 And from that moment, he sought the opportunity to betray him.

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 Now, on the first day of unleavened bread,

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 the disciples came to Jesus, saying,

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 Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?

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 He said,

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 Go into the city to a certain man and say to him,

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 The teacher says,

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 My time is at hand.

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 I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.

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 And the disciples did,

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 as Jesus had directed them,

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 and they prepared the Passover.

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 When it was evening,

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 he reclined at the table with the twelve.

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 And as they were eating, he said,

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 Truly, I say to you,

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 one of you will betray me.

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 And they were sorrowful,

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 and began to say to him,

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 one after another,

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 Is it I, Lord?

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 He answered,

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 He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me.

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 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him.

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 But woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.

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 It will have been better for that man if he had not been born.

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 Judas, who would betray him, answered,

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 Is it I, Rabbi?

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 He said to him,

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 You have said so.

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 Now as they were eating,

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 Jesus took bread,

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 and after blessing it,

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 broke it and gave it to the disciples,

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 and said,

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 Take, eat.

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 This is my body.

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 And he took a cup,

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 and he had given thanks.

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 He gave it to them,

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 saying,

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 Drink of it, all of you.

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 For this is my blood of the covenant,

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 which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

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 I tell you,

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 I will not drink again of these fruits of the vine

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 until that day when I drink it with you

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 in my Father's kingdom.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Thank you, Soda and Florence.

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 Let's pray together as we come before God's word.

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 Father God, thank you for your word that gives life.

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 We think of Psalm 19,

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 speaks about how your word enlightens our eyes,

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 gives life to the soul.

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 It's sweeter than honey and great riches.

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 God, as we come to your word this morning,

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 we pray that you will speak to us.

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 We pray that you will feed our souls,

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 that you will encourage us.

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 God, we pray that through your word,

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 you will draw us to yourself.

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 And Lord, help us to be men and women.

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 Help us to be a church in the great city of Hong Kong

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 that is like Mary,

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 that worships you wholeheartedly

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 with everything that we have.

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 We pray this in your great and your gracious name.

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 Amen.

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 On August the 30th, 1993,

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 long before half of you were born,

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 an American musician and singer-songwriter

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 by the name of Michael Lee Adde,

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 he had a stage name called Meat Loaf.

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 I don't know if any of you remember him,

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 which is a terrible stage name, by the way.

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 But he released this song,

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 his one and only hit single.

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 Anyone know what it was?

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 Bernard knows what it is.

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 I would do anything for love,

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 but I would not do that.

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 Anybody know that song?

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 I would do anything for love,

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 but I would not do that.

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 And Michael Adde says,

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 over the last 30 years,

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 he actually passed away last year,

00:05:32.580 --> 00:05:33.720
 over the last 30 years,

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 the number one question he's been asked

00:05:36.440 --> 00:05:38.460
 in almost every interview he's ever given,

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 what is the that?

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 What is the thing that you would not be willing to do?

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 Friends, let me ask you,

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 what would you be willing to do for love?

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 What would you not be willing to do?

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 What is your limit,

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 the one thing that you would not do,

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 even for the one that you love?

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 Well, this morning,

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 we are looking at this passage of Scripture,

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 and it's all about love.

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 And it's about two people,

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 and their extraordinary thing

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 that they will do

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 for the one that they love.

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 This passage is broken up into two sections.

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 The first one, 1 to 16,

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 and the second one, 17 to 29.

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 And so let's look at it together.

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 And so the first one

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 is the extraordinary love

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 of an unknown worshiper.

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 The extraordinary love

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 of an unknown worshiper.

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 Now, this section is full of contrasts,

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 and Matthew wants us to see

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 the various contrasts

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 that are happening here.

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 We have the high priest,

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 and the leaders,

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 and the religious leaders

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 on the one hand,

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 and we have an unnamed woman

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 on the other hand.

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 We have all the social elites,

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 the who's who of Jerusalem,

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 and this social outcast

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 who meets in the house

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 of another social outcast,

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 the leper.

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 We have the palace of Caiaphas

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 and the house of Simon the leper.

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 We have plotting and scheming

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 done in secret,

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 and we have the open worship

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 and devotion of this lady.

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 And Matthew's trying to show us something

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 by contrasting the actions

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 and the thinking

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 and the behavior

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 of this woman,

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 who he doesn't name,

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 and all the people

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 that are around her.

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 And on either side of the story

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 of this lady who brings

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 this expensive perfume,

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 pours it out in Jesus,

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 on either side of her

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 are these religious people,

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 Caiaphas, the elders,

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 the leaders,

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 and Judas Iscariot,

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 one of the disciples,

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 people who should have known

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 who Jesus was,

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 people who should have been

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 full of worship

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 and devotion

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 and adoration,

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 and yet somehow

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 they blinded to who Jesus is.

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 They cannot see him.

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 And so they don't worship him.

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 And yet in the middle of that,

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 we see this lady,

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 unnamed, unknown in many ways,

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 and yet she brings

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 this extravagant worship

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 to Jesus.

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 And so let's look at,

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 let's look at what she does.

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 Let's look at verse 6 onwards

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 with me.

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 Matthew doesn't name her,

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 but we actually know

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 from John's Gospel

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 she is Mary,

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 who is the sister

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 of Martha and Lazarus,

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 that family that Jesus

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 loved so well.

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 And she comes to Jesus,

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 this is a few days

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 before his death

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 and his crucifixion,

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 she comes to Jesus

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 with an alabaster flask

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 full of very,

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 very expensive perfume.

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 perfume.

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 We know it is about

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 a year's wages

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 for a kind of

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 entry-level job.

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 Think 200,000 Hong Kong,

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 right?

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 Perfume, 200,000.

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 And she comes to Jesus

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 and one of the other Gospels

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 tells us that she

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 breaks the jar open,

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 she doesn't just uncork it

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 and gently put the flask back.

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 The flask itself

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 was extremely precious,

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 not the kind of thing

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 that you'd find

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 in an ordinary person's home.

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 Some commentators said

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 it's the kind of thing

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 that would be passed down

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 as a family heirloom.

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 So it's an extremely

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 precious flask.

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 She breaks it open

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 and she pours

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 the whole lot

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 on top of Jesus

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 in this act of worship

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 and devotion.

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 Now for us,

00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:12.320
 that may seem like

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 a very strange thing to do,

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 right?

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 Someone comes as a guest

00:09:15.920 --> 00:09:16.680
 at a dinner party

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 and you bring

00:09:17.220 --> 00:09:19.600
 your most expensive perfume

00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:20.600
 and pour it on top of them.

00:09:20.680 --> 00:09:21.920
 But in the first century,

00:09:21.920 --> 00:09:23.120
 this was a common way

00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:24.820
 of showing hospitality,

00:09:25.500 --> 00:09:26.759
 showing care to your guests.

00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:27.679
 When any guests

00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:28.440
 came to your house,

00:09:28.519 --> 00:09:29.840
 you would wash their feet

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 with water,

00:09:30.539 --> 00:09:31.620
 you would pour oil

00:09:31.620 --> 00:09:32.200
 on their head

00:09:32.200 --> 00:09:33.500
 as a way of showing care

00:09:33.500 --> 00:09:35.340
 and hospitality to them.

00:09:35.919 --> 00:09:36.659
 And so in some ways,

00:09:36.700 --> 00:09:37.799
 this is a usual act,

00:09:37.879 --> 00:09:38.600
 but what's unusual

00:09:38.600 --> 00:09:40.179
 is the extent of it,

00:09:40.720 --> 00:09:41.580
 how lavish

00:09:41.580 --> 00:09:43.080
 and extraordinary she is.

00:09:43.700 --> 00:09:45.560
 She holds nothing back.

00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:47.620
 Taking this family heirloom

00:09:47.620 --> 00:09:48.700
 kind of vase,

00:09:48.700 --> 00:09:51.159
 this extremely expensive perfume,

00:09:51.159 --> 00:09:53.219
 and in one instant

00:09:53.219 --> 00:09:54.879
 pours it all out

00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:56.259
 on Jesus.

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 The point here

00:09:58.980 --> 00:10:00.259
 is that here we have

00:10:00.259 --> 00:10:01.839
 this unnamed woman

00:10:01.839 --> 00:10:03.199
 in Matthew's gospel list,

00:10:03.319 --> 00:10:05.259
 someone of low social standing.

00:10:06.059 --> 00:10:07.319
 She's not in the temple,

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 she's not in the palace,

00:10:08.719 --> 00:10:09.919
 she's in the house of a leper,

00:10:10.039 --> 00:10:11.259
 another social outcast,

00:10:12.019 --> 00:10:13.559
 and yet she so loves

00:10:13.559 --> 00:10:15.419
 and so devotes herself to Jesus,

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 she holds nothing back from him.

00:10:18.480 --> 00:10:20.000
 Nothing is too valuable,

00:10:20.199 --> 00:10:20.919
 too precious,

00:10:20.919 --> 00:10:22.099
 two off limits

00:10:22.099 --> 00:10:23.839
 in her worship

00:10:23.839 --> 00:10:25.299
 and her devotion to Jesus.

00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:27.799
 And yet contrast that

00:10:27.799 --> 00:10:28.759
 just to the person

00:10:28.759 --> 00:10:29.539
 who comes after us.

00:10:29.559 --> 00:10:31.679
 Look at verse 14, right?

00:10:32.299 --> 00:10:33.519
 Then one of the twelve,

00:10:33.639 --> 00:10:33.939
 in other words,

00:10:33.979 --> 00:10:34.740
 one of the disciples,

00:10:35.039 --> 00:10:36.500
 those who have been with Jesus

00:10:36.500 --> 00:10:38.079
 for three years following him,

00:10:38.899 --> 00:10:40.699
 whose name was Judas Iscariot,

00:10:40.759 --> 00:10:41.799
 went to the chief priest

00:10:41.799 --> 00:10:42.219
 and said,

00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:43.439
 what will you give me

00:10:43.439 --> 00:10:45.279
 if I deliver him over to you?

00:10:45.939 --> 00:10:46.659
 And they paid him

00:10:46.659 --> 00:10:48.379
 thirty silver coins.

00:10:48.379 --> 00:10:51.399
 Judas has just seen

00:10:51.399 --> 00:10:52.799
 this woman

00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:53.840
 pouring out

00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:54.840
 a year's wages

00:10:54.840 --> 00:10:56.240
 of extravagant love

00:10:56.240 --> 00:10:56.759
 and worship.

00:10:57.539 --> 00:10:58.279
 And what does he do?

00:10:58.379 --> 00:10:59.379
 He makes plans

00:10:59.379 --> 00:11:00.659
 to go to the leaders

00:11:00.659 --> 00:11:02.580
 and he sells Jesus

00:11:02.580 --> 00:11:03.939
 for four months' wages,

00:11:04.200 --> 00:11:05.740
 just a fraction of the price.

00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:08.059
 The price of a common slave.

00:11:08.840 --> 00:11:09.720
 Judas comes in

00:11:09.720 --> 00:11:10.980
 and sells Jesus

00:11:10.980 --> 00:11:12.080
 to them.

00:11:12.759 --> 00:11:14.180
 While Mary is lavishly

00:11:14.180 --> 00:11:14.840
 loving Jesus,

00:11:15.100 --> 00:11:15.860
 the son of glory,

00:11:16.100 --> 00:11:17.860
 Judas is making plans

00:11:17.860 --> 00:11:19.200
 to enrich his own pockets

00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:20.900
 and line his own pockets.

00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:23.420
 And Matthew's point is this.

00:11:23.520 --> 00:11:24.720
 Who is Jesus

00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:26.520
 and what is he worth?

00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:28.800
 Matthew's point is

00:11:28.800 --> 00:11:29.600
 he wants us to see

00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:30.879
 who is Jesus to us.

00:11:30.920 --> 00:11:32.160
 How do we view Jesus?

00:11:32.740 --> 00:11:33.340
 Because here are

00:11:33.340 --> 00:11:34.139
 a whole lot of people,

00:11:34.220 --> 00:11:35.540
 some very religious people,

00:11:35.940 --> 00:11:37.100
 some very people

00:11:37.100 --> 00:11:38.080
 that have followed Jesus

00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:38.940
 and they've followed

00:11:38.940 --> 00:11:39.580
 all the rules

00:11:39.580 --> 00:11:41.000
 and yet they don't see him

00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:41.779
 for who he's worth.

00:11:42.820 --> 00:11:43.480
 In fact, actually,

00:11:43.559 --> 00:11:44.639
 when they see Jesus,

00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:45.840
 they see something else.

00:11:45.919 --> 00:11:46.179
 They see,

00:11:46.279 --> 00:11:47.600
 how can I enrich myself?

00:11:48.919 --> 00:11:50.779
 And here is a simple lady.

00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:52.019
 She doesn't have

00:11:52.019 --> 00:11:52.860
 all the bells and whistles,

00:11:53.000 --> 00:11:54.200
 maybe not very educated,

00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:56.279
 certainly not social elite,

00:11:56.879 --> 00:11:58.399
 certainly not in the inner circle,

00:11:59.139 --> 00:12:00.779
 and yet she sees Jesus

00:12:00.779 --> 00:12:01.940
 for who he is.

00:12:02.679 --> 00:12:03.340
 She sees him

00:12:03.340 --> 00:12:04.159
 for all that he's worth.

00:12:04.779 --> 00:12:05.399
 And the answer

00:12:05.399 --> 00:12:06.720
 that Matthew wants us to see

00:12:06.720 --> 00:12:07.919
 is Jesus Christ

00:12:07.919 --> 00:12:08.340
 is worth

00:12:08.340 --> 00:12:10.120
 the most extravagant worship

00:12:10.120 --> 00:12:12.740
 and the most costly love.

00:12:13.779 --> 00:12:15.080
 And that it's not a waste

00:12:15.080 --> 00:12:16.899
 to pour out your life,

00:12:17.139 --> 00:12:17.820
 even the things

00:12:17.820 --> 00:12:18.879
 that are most precious

00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:19.879
 and valuable to us,

00:12:19.879 --> 00:12:20.720
 it's not a waste

00:12:20.720 --> 00:12:22.019
 to pour that out

00:12:22.019 --> 00:12:23.220
 in the service of Christ,

00:12:23.960 --> 00:12:24.519
 our King.

00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:28.919
 At the church office,

00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:29.759
 we've been trying

00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:31.560
 to rebuild our website recently

00:12:31.560 --> 00:12:33.080
 because we closed down the app

00:12:33.080 --> 00:12:33.560
 and so we're trying

00:12:33.560 --> 00:12:34.419
 to make our website

00:12:34.419 --> 00:12:35.379
 mobile friendly.

00:12:36.080 --> 00:12:36.740
 And so Jeremy and I

00:12:36.740 --> 00:12:37.299
 have been looking

00:12:37.299 --> 00:12:37.879
 at the website

00:12:37.879 --> 00:12:38.579
 a bit recently

00:12:38.579 --> 00:12:39.519
 and this week

00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:40.359
 I looked at our website

00:12:40.359 --> 00:12:40.919
 and do you know

00:12:40.919 --> 00:12:42.059
 what the front page

00:12:42.059 --> 00:12:43.139
 of our website says?

00:12:43.620 --> 00:12:44.259
 Anybody know?

00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:46.339
 The opening line

00:12:46.339 --> 00:12:47.419
 says something like this,

00:12:47.939 --> 00:12:49.599
 loving God deeply,

00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:53.179
 delighting in the gospel lavishly.

00:12:53.299 --> 00:12:53.620
 And then look

00:12:53.620 --> 00:12:54.359
 at the first line there,

00:12:54.459 --> 00:12:55.479
 we as a church family

00:12:55.479 --> 00:12:56.579
 believe that God

00:12:56.579 --> 00:12:57.439
 is magnificent,

00:12:57.979 --> 00:12:58.679
 deserving of

00:12:58.679 --> 00:12:59.959
 wholehearted devotion.

00:13:01.179 --> 00:13:01.439
 Well,

00:13:01.559 --> 00:13:02.019
 one of the things

00:13:02.019 --> 00:13:02.719
 that I've learned

00:13:02.719 --> 00:13:04.939
 is never believe

00:13:04.939 --> 00:13:05.919
 what any organization

00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:07.000
 writes on their website,

00:13:07.319 --> 00:13:07.579
 right?

00:13:08.279 --> 00:13:08.860
 I mean,

00:13:08.899 --> 00:13:09.919
 any organization,

00:13:10.139 --> 00:13:10.539
 whether it's

00:13:10.539 --> 00:13:11.240
 Catholic Pacific

00:13:11.240 --> 00:13:12.079
 or a church

00:13:12.079 --> 00:13:12.899
 or HSBC,

00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:14.299
 they're going to tell you

00:13:14.299 --> 00:13:15.299
 what they want you

00:13:15.299 --> 00:13:15.719
 to think,

00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:16.019
 right?

00:13:16.439 --> 00:13:17.539
 Or they're going to tell you

00:13:17.539 --> 00:13:18.419
 what they aspire

00:13:18.419 --> 00:13:19.219
 to be like,

00:13:19.319 --> 00:13:20.659
 but what they aspire

00:13:20.659 --> 00:13:21.240
 to be like

00:13:21.240 --> 00:13:22.240
 and what's in reality

00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:23.899
 may be two very

00:13:23.899 --> 00:13:24.919
 different things.

00:13:26.959 --> 00:13:28.699
 I wasn't sure

00:13:28.699 --> 00:13:29.419
 whether to laugh

00:13:29.419 --> 00:13:30.319
 or smile or cry

00:13:30.319 --> 00:13:31.019
 when I saw this

00:13:31.019 --> 00:13:31.860
 this week

00:13:31.860 --> 00:13:32.759
 and I was preparing

00:13:32.759 --> 00:13:33.599
 for this sermon,

00:13:33.699 --> 00:13:33.919
 right?

00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:35.879
 Loving God deeply,

00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:38.579
 loving God extravagantly,

00:13:38.699 --> 00:13:39.879
 loving God lavishly.

00:13:39.939 --> 00:13:40.839
 Is that true of us?

00:13:41.599 --> 00:13:42.620
 Is that true of me?

00:13:44.360 --> 00:13:45.179
 Here we see

00:13:45.179 --> 00:13:45.899
 what that means.

00:13:45.979 --> 00:13:46.439
 What does it mean

00:13:46.439 --> 00:13:47.919
 to love God deeply?

00:13:48.979 --> 00:13:49.240
 Well,

00:13:49.479 --> 00:13:50.240
 Mary shows us.

00:13:50.319 --> 00:13:50.919
 Matthew wants us

00:13:50.919 --> 00:13:52.299
 to see that Jesus Christ

00:13:52.299 --> 00:13:52.819
 is worthy

00:13:52.819 --> 00:13:54.159
 of the most lavish

00:13:54.159 --> 00:13:55.319
 and deep devotion

00:13:55.319 --> 00:13:57.159
 because all around Jesus

00:13:57.159 --> 00:13:58.360
 are these religious people,

00:13:58.459 --> 00:13:58.559
 right?

00:13:58.599 --> 00:13:59.599
 People who should have seen

00:13:59.599 --> 00:14:00.740
 what Jesus was worth

00:14:00.740 --> 00:14:02.099
 and yet they miss it

00:14:02.099 --> 00:14:02.539
 completely.

00:14:02.539 --> 00:14:03.980
 Look at the first one.

00:14:04.019 --> 00:14:05.259
 Look at verse 3 and 4

00:14:05.259 --> 00:14:05.740
 with me.

00:14:06.219 --> 00:14:06.500
 It says,

00:14:06.679 --> 00:14:07.059
 verse 3,

00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:08.099
 Then the chief priests

00:14:08.099 --> 00:14:08.659
 and the elders

00:14:08.659 --> 00:14:09.219
 of the people

00:14:09.219 --> 00:14:10.839
 gathered in the palace

00:14:10.839 --> 00:14:11.799
 of the high priest,

00:14:11.959 --> 00:14:12.480
 Caiaphas,

00:14:13.019 --> 00:14:13.879
 plotting together

00:14:13.879 --> 00:14:15.240
 in order to arrest Jesus

00:14:15.240 --> 00:14:16.079
 by stealth

00:14:16.079 --> 00:14:17.319
 and kill him.

00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:18.159
 Now,

00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:18.899
 if you're familiar

00:14:18.899 --> 00:14:20.319
 with the Gospels,

00:14:20.819 --> 00:14:21.839
 it's easy to read

00:14:21.839 --> 00:14:22.659
 over that quickly,

00:14:22.779 --> 00:14:23.899
 but just slow down

00:14:23.899 --> 00:14:24.480
 and think about it.

00:14:24.519 --> 00:14:26.240
 Who was the high priest?

00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:29.060
 The high priest

00:14:29.060 --> 00:14:31.539
 is the most important person

00:14:31.539 --> 00:14:33.039
 in the nation of Israel.

00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:34.700
 He's the person

00:14:34.700 --> 00:14:35.519
 that oversees

00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:36.759
 all worship,

00:14:37.060 --> 00:14:37.960
 all the temple,

00:14:38.180 --> 00:14:39.399
 all the sacrifices.

00:14:40.039 --> 00:14:41.360
 He's the one person

00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:42.139
 that oversees

00:14:42.139 --> 00:14:43.419
 all other priests.

00:14:43.659 --> 00:14:44.799
 Everything that happens

00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:46.139
 in the temple compound

00:14:46.139 --> 00:14:47.480
 is his responsibility.

00:14:48.680 --> 00:14:48.960
 And so,

00:14:49.060 --> 00:14:49.720
 all the priests

00:14:49.720 --> 00:14:51.139
 who day in and day out

00:14:51.139 --> 00:14:52.659
 are offering worship

00:14:52.659 --> 00:14:53.399
 and praise

00:14:53.399 --> 00:14:53.960
 and incense

00:14:53.960 --> 00:14:54.900
 and praise to God,

00:14:55.200 --> 00:14:56.400
 he oversees all of it.

00:14:57.280 --> 00:14:58.639
 He's the one person

00:14:58.639 --> 00:14:59.879
 who represents

00:14:59.879 --> 00:15:01.160
 the nation of Israel

00:15:01.160 --> 00:15:01.860
 as he goes

00:15:01.860 --> 00:15:03.540
 into the most holy place,

00:15:03.700 --> 00:15:04.480
 the inner part

00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:05.080
 of the sanctuary,

00:15:05.500 --> 00:15:06.300
 once a year

00:15:06.300 --> 00:15:07.840
 as Israel's representative

00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:09.280
 to encounter

00:15:09.280 --> 00:15:10.500
 the presence of God.

00:15:11.720 --> 00:15:12.580
 He's the one person

00:15:12.580 --> 00:15:13.259
 that oversees

00:15:13.259 --> 00:15:14.320
 all the sacrifices.

00:15:14.560 --> 00:15:15.379
 And what weekend

00:15:15.379 --> 00:15:16.120
 is coming up?

00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:17.280
 Passover,

00:15:17.879 --> 00:15:19.660
 when almost a million people

00:15:19.660 --> 00:15:20.379
 are going to flood

00:15:20.379 --> 00:15:21.180
 into Jerusalem

00:15:21.180 --> 00:15:22.960
 and offer sacrifices

00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:24.200
 of lambs

00:15:24.200 --> 00:15:24.800
 in remembrance

00:15:24.800 --> 00:15:25.540
 of Passover.

00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:26.840
 And Caiaphas

00:15:26.840 --> 00:15:27.660
 is the one person

00:15:27.660 --> 00:15:28.560
 who should oversee

00:15:28.560 --> 00:15:29.240
 all of it.

00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:30.280
 And yet,

00:15:30.340 --> 00:15:31.139
 what's on his mind

00:15:31.139 --> 00:15:31.780
 this weekend?

00:15:32.540 --> 00:15:33.340
 Not worship,

00:15:34.120 --> 00:15:35.560
 not sacrifice,

00:15:36.200 --> 00:15:36.780
 but murder.

00:15:39.900 --> 00:15:40.700
 They're plotting

00:15:40.700 --> 00:15:41.519
 and they're scheming

00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:42.220
 how to secretly

00:15:42.220 --> 00:15:43.040
 arrest Jesus

00:15:43.040 --> 00:15:43.740
 and kill him

00:15:43.740 --> 00:15:45.160
 because of the threat

00:15:45.160 --> 00:15:45.639
 to their own

00:15:45.639 --> 00:15:46.980
 political ambitions.

00:15:47.860 --> 00:15:47.980
 You know,

00:15:48.040 --> 00:15:48.879
 Caiaphas was quite

00:15:48.879 --> 00:15:49.940
 a shrewd guy.

00:15:50.160 --> 00:15:50.660
 At the time

00:15:50.660 --> 00:15:51.500
 of the first century,

00:15:51.500 --> 00:15:52.779
 the Romans had said

00:15:52.779 --> 00:15:53.659
 that the high priest

00:15:53.659 --> 00:15:54.580
 could only be in office

00:15:54.580 --> 00:15:56.299
 for one year at a time,

00:15:56.460 --> 00:15:57.159
 one year term,

00:15:57.240 --> 00:15:58.240
 and then he had to hand over.

00:15:58.960 --> 00:16:00.059
 Caiaphas made a deal

00:16:00.059 --> 00:16:00.659
 with the Romans

00:16:00.659 --> 00:16:01.600
 and ended up in office

00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:02.720
 for 18 years

00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:06.419
 as he lined his own pockets

00:16:06.419 --> 00:16:07.419
 and enriched himself.

00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:08.539
 And then,

00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:09.659
 in John's gospel,

00:16:09.820 --> 00:16:11.340
 he issues these amazing words.

00:16:11.419 --> 00:16:13.100
 He says to a couple of people,

00:16:13.240 --> 00:16:14.240
 don't you understand

00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:15.500
 it's better for us

00:16:15.500 --> 00:16:16.779
 that one man,

00:16:16.919 --> 00:16:17.159
 Jesus,

00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:18.740
 should die for all the people

00:16:18.740 --> 00:16:20.399
 rather than the whole nation

00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:21.019
 should perish.

00:16:21.779 --> 00:16:21.919
 Now,

00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:23.139
 Caiaphas is not talking

00:16:23.139 --> 00:16:24.699
 about Jesus' sacrificial death

00:16:24.699 --> 00:16:25.179
 on the cross

00:16:25.179 --> 00:16:26.199
 for the sins of the world.

00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:28.379
 What he's talking about

00:16:28.379 --> 00:16:29.879
 is Jesus is causing

00:16:29.879 --> 00:16:30.459
 an uproar

00:16:30.459 --> 00:16:31.579
 and the Romans

00:16:31.579 --> 00:16:32.860
 are going to get tired of us

00:16:32.860 --> 00:16:34.000
 and they are going to come

00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:35.779
 and stamp out our authority

00:16:35.779 --> 00:16:36.519
 and take control.

00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:37.799
 Better for us

00:16:37.799 --> 00:16:38.659
 to kill Jesus

00:16:38.659 --> 00:16:39.939
 than we lose

00:16:39.939 --> 00:16:41.000
 our favored status

00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:41.639
 with the Romans.

00:16:42.600 --> 00:16:43.360
 So who's Caiaphas

00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:44.220
 thinking about here?

00:16:44.980 --> 00:16:46.079
 He's thinking about himself,

00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:46.439
 right?

00:16:47.019 --> 00:16:47.960
 Here before him

00:16:47.960 --> 00:16:49.100
 is the King of Glory,

00:16:49.100 --> 00:16:50.340
 Jesus Christ,

00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:51.860
 the eternal God

00:16:51.860 --> 00:16:53.480
 and all he's thinking about

00:16:53.480 --> 00:16:54.680
 is his pockets.

00:16:55.680 --> 00:16:56.659
 Or think about Judas,

00:16:56.759 --> 00:16:56.940
 right?

00:16:56.960 --> 00:16:57.980
 What's going on with him?

00:16:58.779 --> 00:16:59.360
 He has somebody

00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:00.399
 who knows how to say

00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:01.139
 the right things,

00:17:01.560 --> 00:17:02.540
 do the right things,

00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:03.820
 act the part

00:17:03.820 --> 00:17:05.099
 and yet

00:17:05.099 --> 00:17:07.099
 there's a whole other side

00:17:07.099 --> 00:17:07.700
 to his life

00:17:07.700 --> 00:17:08.880
 where nobody's watching

00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:09.839
 that's going on

00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:11.099
 and he thinks

00:17:11.099 --> 00:17:12.200
 that nobody knows

00:17:12.200 --> 00:17:12.860
 what's going on.

00:17:12.920 --> 00:17:13.940
 He's double-sided

00:17:13.940 --> 00:17:15.200
 except Jesus,

00:17:15.319 --> 00:17:15.539
 of course,

00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:16.420
 knows what's going on.

00:17:16.420 --> 00:17:19.440
 Jesus says to him,

00:17:20.080 --> 00:17:21.360
 one of you will betray me

00:17:21.360 --> 00:17:22.380
 and Judas says,

00:17:22.440 --> 00:17:23.519
 not I, Lord, right?

00:17:24.340 --> 00:17:25.960
 And Jesus just

00:17:25.960 --> 00:17:27.480
 quietly nods

00:17:27.480 --> 00:17:27.779
 and says,

00:17:27.860 --> 00:17:28.100
 yes,

00:17:28.519 --> 00:17:29.320
 it's as you've said.

00:17:30.420 --> 00:17:31.100
 And so even though

00:17:31.100 --> 00:17:31.960
 he's already gone

00:17:31.960 --> 00:17:32.680
 and negotiated

00:17:32.680 --> 00:17:34.060
 the price for Jesus' head,

00:17:34.180 --> 00:17:34.660
 here he is

00:17:34.660 --> 00:17:35.660
 at the Passover meal

00:17:35.660 --> 00:17:36.900
 taking the bread

00:17:36.900 --> 00:17:37.400
 and the cup

00:17:37.400 --> 00:17:38.180
 and celebrating

00:17:38.180 --> 00:17:39.300
 the grace of God

00:17:39.300 --> 00:17:41.120
 to God's people

00:17:41.120 --> 00:17:42.560
 and yet all the while

00:17:42.560 --> 00:17:43.519
 there's a whole other

00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:44.160
 double life

00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:44.820
 that's going on

00:17:44.820 --> 00:17:45.660
 behind the scenes,

00:17:45.660 --> 00:17:45.960
 right?

00:17:46.860 --> 00:17:47.420
 And what about

00:17:47.420 --> 00:17:47.960
 the disciples?

00:17:48.519 --> 00:17:49.380
 They possibly have

00:17:49.380 --> 00:17:50.240
 the best intentions,

00:17:50.940 --> 00:17:51.900
 they see Mary's

00:17:51.900 --> 00:17:53.100
 extravagant worship

00:17:53.100 --> 00:17:54.279
 and immediately

00:17:54.279 --> 00:17:54.880
 they think of

00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:55.640
 all the good things

00:17:55.640 --> 00:17:56.480
 that could have been done

00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:58.400
 and so they're annoyed,

00:17:58.540 --> 00:17:59.100
 they're indignant,

00:17:59.320 --> 00:17:59.620
 they say,

00:17:59.860 --> 00:18:00.700
 what a waste,

00:18:00.820 --> 00:18:01.080
 all this,

00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:01.940
 we could have done

00:18:01.940 --> 00:18:03.060
 all sorts of good ministry,

00:18:03.600 --> 00:18:04.259
 we could have had

00:18:04.259 --> 00:18:05.140
 our name in light,

00:18:05.240 --> 00:18:05.700
 we could have served

00:18:05.700 --> 00:18:06.120
 the poor,

00:18:06.220 --> 00:18:07.279
 we could have expanded

00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:08.040
 our ministry

00:18:08.040 --> 00:18:09.779
 and yet even their

00:18:09.779 --> 00:18:10.820
 good intentions

00:18:10.820 --> 00:18:12.500
 doesn't stop them

00:18:12.500 --> 00:18:13.580
 from Jesus' rebuke.

00:18:13.779 --> 00:18:14.259
 Verse 10,

00:18:14.259 --> 00:18:15.579
 why do you trouble

00:18:15.579 --> 00:18:15.960
 the woman?

00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:17.059
 She has not wasted

00:18:17.059 --> 00:18:17.519
 the money,

00:18:18.039 --> 00:18:18.859
 she's done something

00:18:18.859 --> 00:18:19.259
 beautiful.

00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:20.000
 Verse 11,

00:18:20.440 --> 00:18:21.559
 you will always have

00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:22.420
 the poor with you

00:18:22.420 --> 00:18:23.059
 but you will not

00:18:23.059 --> 00:18:23.740
 always have me.

00:18:24.940 --> 00:18:26.059
 Jesus is saying here

00:18:26.059 --> 00:18:27.240
 that to love Jesus

00:18:27.240 --> 00:18:28.059
 above all

00:18:28.059 --> 00:18:28.720
 with all of our

00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:29.339
 affections,

00:18:29.460 --> 00:18:30.660
 all of our worth,

00:18:30.779 --> 00:18:31.779
 all of our wealth,

00:18:31.859 --> 00:18:33.099
 with everything we have

00:18:33.099 --> 00:18:35.099
 is never a waste.

00:18:36.140 --> 00:18:38.019
 The extraordinary love

00:18:38.019 --> 00:18:39.559
 of an unnamed woman.

00:18:40.759 --> 00:18:41.160
 Friends,

00:18:41.160 --> 00:18:42.100
 who is Jesus Christ

00:18:42.100 --> 00:18:42.920
 and what is he worth

00:18:42.920 --> 00:18:44.140
 to us this morning?

00:18:45.540 --> 00:18:46.620
 Maybe put it another way,

00:18:46.700 --> 00:18:47.400
 the question Matthew

00:18:47.400 --> 00:18:48.300
 is asking us is,

00:18:48.680 --> 00:18:49.740
 what's more important

00:18:49.740 --> 00:18:51.200
 to us than Jesus Christ

00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:51.740
 this morning?

00:18:52.380 --> 00:18:53.400
 What holds us back

00:18:53.400 --> 00:18:54.800
 from giving our entirety

00:18:54.800 --> 00:18:55.940
 to him?

00:18:57.120 --> 00:18:57.940
 Now for some of us,

00:18:58.000 --> 00:18:59.140
 maybe it's not finances

00:18:59.140 --> 00:18:59.680
 and wealth

00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:00.660
 in her situation

00:19:00.660 --> 00:19:01.460
 that was it

00:19:01.460 --> 00:19:02.860
 but maybe for some of us

00:19:02.860 --> 00:19:03.820
 it's our reputation,

00:19:04.120 --> 00:19:04.340
 right?

00:19:04.900 --> 00:19:05.220
 We think,

00:19:05.380 --> 00:19:05.580
 okay money,

00:19:05.660 --> 00:19:06.540
 I can dispose of that

00:19:06.540 --> 00:19:08.019
 but what people think

00:19:08.019 --> 00:19:08.360
 of me,

00:19:08.759 --> 00:19:09.920
 what my family thinks

00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:10.240
 of me,

00:19:10.680 --> 00:19:11.700
 what my colleagues

00:19:11.700 --> 00:19:12.519
 will think of me.

00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:14.220
 Friends,

00:19:14.279 --> 00:19:15.180
 this woman must have

00:19:15.180 --> 00:19:15.980
 known and seen

00:19:15.980 --> 00:19:17.039
 and heard the grumblings

00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:17.900
 of people going on

00:19:17.900 --> 00:19:18.460
 around her

00:19:18.460 --> 00:19:19.940
 and yet she comes

00:19:19.940 --> 00:19:21.120
 and issues her all.

00:19:22.060 --> 00:19:22.519
 For some of us,

00:19:22.539 --> 00:19:23.200
 our reputation

00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:24.240
 is what holds us back.

00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:25.860
 Maybe for some of us

00:19:25.860 --> 00:19:26.660
 it's a relationship,

00:19:26.900 --> 00:19:27.120
 right?

00:19:27.680 --> 00:19:28.300
 It's someone you

00:19:28.300 --> 00:19:28.800
 we're dating,

00:19:28.940 --> 00:19:29.600
 we think I'll give

00:19:29.600 --> 00:19:30.620
 anything for Jesus

00:19:30.620 --> 00:19:31.539
 as long as he doesn't

00:19:31.539 --> 00:19:32.440
 touch that relationship.

00:19:33.080 --> 00:19:33.900
 That is something

00:19:33.900 --> 00:19:34.900
 I cannot give up.

00:19:36.560 --> 00:19:36.860
 Friends,

00:19:36.920 --> 00:19:37.620
 maybe for some of us

00:19:37.620 --> 00:19:38.320
 it's a career,

00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:39.900
 it's a job,

00:19:40.820 --> 00:19:41.340
 you've dedicated

00:19:41.340 --> 00:19:42.640
 years to studying,

00:19:43.220 --> 00:19:43.740
 your parents have

00:19:43.740 --> 00:19:44.900
 paid for your education,

00:19:45.640 --> 00:19:46.460
 you feel like I could

00:19:46.460 --> 00:19:47.759
 never walk away

00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:48.539
 from this career

00:19:48.539 --> 00:19:49.380
 that I've dedicated

00:19:49.380 --> 00:19:50.039
 myself to.

00:19:51.320 --> 00:19:52.279
 But maybe Jesus

00:19:52.279 --> 00:19:52.940
 is asking you

00:19:52.940 --> 00:19:54.080
 to take a bold step

00:19:54.080 --> 00:19:54.600
 of faith

00:19:54.600 --> 00:19:56.300
 and to contemplate

00:19:56.300 --> 00:19:57.080
 doing something

00:19:57.080 --> 00:19:58.420
 extravagant for him.

00:19:59.420 --> 00:20:00.340
 Maybe for some of us

00:20:00.340 --> 00:20:01.360
 it's the cost

00:20:01.360 --> 00:20:02.460
 to bear

00:20:02.460 --> 00:20:03.180
 of forgiving

00:20:03.180 --> 00:20:04.440
 somebody that's hurt us.

00:20:05.240 --> 00:20:05.380
 You know,

00:20:05.380 --> 00:20:05.860
 Jesus says,

00:20:06.019 --> 00:20:07.019
 as I've forgiven you,

00:20:07.140 --> 00:20:07.900
 so you should forgive

00:20:07.900 --> 00:20:08.400
 one another.

00:20:09.340 --> 00:20:09.640
 It may be

00:20:09.640 --> 00:20:10.000
 you feel like

00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:11.200
 that's the one thing

00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:12.320
 that I hold on to

00:20:12.320 --> 00:20:13.380
 and it's too much

00:20:13.380 --> 00:20:14.180
 to let go

00:20:14.180 --> 00:20:15.400
 of the right

00:20:15.400 --> 00:20:15.960
 that I feel

00:20:15.960 --> 00:20:16.740
 aggrieved by

00:20:16.740 --> 00:20:17.640
 someone else's hurt.

00:20:18.920 --> 00:20:19.220
 Friends,

00:20:19.280 --> 00:20:19.900
 what would we be

00:20:19.900 --> 00:20:20.580
 willing to give up

00:20:20.580 --> 00:20:21.080
 for Jesus?

00:20:22.860 --> 00:20:23.920
 Matthew shows us here

00:20:23.920 --> 00:20:24.900
 that Jesus Christ

00:20:24.900 --> 00:20:25.380
 is worthy

00:20:25.380 --> 00:20:26.600
 of extraordinary love,

00:20:26.759 --> 00:20:27.900
 extraordinary devotion,

00:20:28.700 --> 00:20:30.080
 such lavish

00:20:30.080 --> 00:20:30.980
 pouring out

00:20:30.980 --> 00:20:31.500
 of our lives

00:20:31.500 --> 00:20:31.940
 in worship

00:20:31.940 --> 00:20:32.640
 for Jesus.

00:20:32.640 --> 00:20:32.780
 Jesus.

00:20:34.040 --> 00:20:34.259
 Now,

00:20:34.420 --> 00:20:34.940
 the question,

00:20:35.200 --> 00:20:36.920
 that's the first part.

00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:37.120
 Now,

00:20:37.180 --> 00:20:38.000
 the question is this,

00:20:38.080 --> 00:20:39.080
 how do we love

00:20:39.080 --> 00:20:40.080
 Jesus like this?

00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:41.060
 I mean,

00:20:41.100 --> 00:20:41.880
 how do we become

00:20:41.880 --> 00:20:42.820
 the kind of people,

00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:44.700
 let me put it this way,

00:20:45.020 --> 00:20:46.720
 I long for myself

00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:47.960
 and I long for us

00:20:47.960 --> 00:20:48.560
 as a church

00:20:48.560 --> 00:20:49.900
 to love Jesus like this.

00:20:50.580 --> 00:20:51.259
 We've said it

00:20:51.259 --> 00:20:52.040
 many times before,

00:20:52.120 --> 00:20:52.480
 we don't need

00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:53.340
 to be a famous church,

00:20:53.460 --> 00:20:53.800
 we don't need

00:20:53.800 --> 00:20:54.620
 to be a big church,

00:20:55.160 --> 00:20:55.580
 we don't need

00:20:55.580 --> 00:20:56.140
 to be the talk

00:20:56.140 --> 00:20:56.700
 of the town,

00:20:57.060 --> 00:20:58.160
 but I long for us

00:20:58.160 --> 00:20:58.640
 to be a church

00:20:58.640 --> 00:20:59.600
 that worships

00:20:59.600 --> 00:21:00.380
 and loves Jesus

00:21:00.380 --> 00:21:00.980
 like this.

00:21:00.980 --> 00:21:02.440
 But the question is,

00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:03.319
 how do we become

00:21:03.319 --> 00:21:03.940
 like that?

00:21:04.579 --> 00:21:05.240
 And we were talking

00:21:05.240 --> 00:21:06.000
 before the service,

00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:06.299
 you know,

00:21:06.599 --> 00:21:07.339
 us as leaders,

00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:08.660
 we can really try

00:21:08.660 --> 00:21:09.880
 our best to manipulate you.

00:21:10.279 --> 00:21:11.180
 We can beat you

00:21:11.180 --> 00:21:13.039
 over the back,

00:21:13.299 --> 00:21:13.819
 proverbially,

00:21:14.200 --> 00:21:14.360
 say,

00:21:14.460 --> 00:21:15.400
 you must be better,

00:21:15.799 --> 00:21:16.880
 you must be more devoted,

00:21:17.420 --> 00:21:17.920
 don't you know

00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:19.140
 how amazing Jesus is?

00:21:20.120 --> 00:21:20.799
 You don't worship

00:21:20.799 --> 00:21:21.319
 Him like that,

00:21:21.420 --> 00:21:22.460
 you terrible Christians,

00:21:22.579 --> 00:21:22.700
 okay,

00:21:22.740 --> 00:21:23.960
 we can shout at you.

00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:26.000
 We can manipulate you

00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:26.500
 and say,

00:21:27.059 --> 00:21:27.319
 well,

00:21:27.480 --> 00:21:28.220
 you'll get all these

00:21:28.220 --> 00:21:29.000
 rewards in heaven

00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:30.299
 if you really love

00:21:30.299 --> 00:21:30.880
 Him like that.

00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:31.640
 You know,

00:21:31.720 --> 00:21:32.240
 we can do

00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:33.019
 all sorts of things.

00:21:33.640 --> 00:21:34.180
 But actually,

00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:35.240
 that doesn't work,

00:21:35.319 --> 00:21:35.559
 right?

00:21:36.259 --> 00:21:37.079
 The human heart

00:21:37.079 --> 00:21:38.839
 doesn't respond

00:21:38.839 --> 00:21:39.480
 to manipulation,

00:21:39.860 --> 00:21:40.360
 doesn't respond

00:21:40.360 --> 00:21:41.000
 to pressure,

00:21:41.460 --> 00:21:42.019
 doesn't respond

00:21:42.019 --> 00:21:42.720
 to being scolded.

00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:44.279
 So how do we

00:21:44.279 --> 00:21:44.759
 as a church

00:21:44.759 --> 00:21:45.460
 become the kind

00:21:45.460 --> 00:21:45.819
 of church

00:21:45.819 --> 00:21:46.759
 that loves Jesus

00:21:46.759 --> 00:21:47.120
 like this

00:21:47.120 --> 00:21:47.960
 from the heart,

00:21:48.380 --> 00:21:49.319
 not just out of

00:21:49.319 --> 00:21:50.220
 pressure or manipulation?

00:21:51.920 --> 00:21:53.599
 What did Mary know,

00:21:54.099 --> 00:21:55.279
 what did Mary see

00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:56.400
 that caused her

00:21:56.400 --> 00:21:57.700
 to give not just

00:21:57.700 --> 00:21:58.920
 this expensive perfume,

00:21:58.920 --> 00:22:00.480
 but actually her whole self?

00:22:01.980 --> 00:22:03.640
 I think part of the clue

00:22:03.640 --> 00:22:05.019
 is found in verse 12

00:22:05.019 --> 00:22:05.559
 and 13.

00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:06.460
 Look at it with me.

00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:08.720
 Look at verse 12.

00:22:08.860 --> 00:22:09.579
 Jesus says,

00:22:09.579 --> 00:22:12.240
 in pouring out this perfume

00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:12.899
 on my body,

00:22:13.019 --> 00:22:14.039
 she has done it

00:22:14.039 --> 00:22:14.919
 to prepare me

00:22:14.919 --> 00:22:15.699
 for burial.

00:22:16.619 --> 00:22:17.599
 Truly I say to you,

00:22:17.659 --> 00:22:18.859
 wherever this gospel

00:22:18.859 --> 00:22:19.759
 is proclaimed

00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:20.899
 in the whole world,

00:22:21.299 --> 00:22:22.659
 what she has done

00:22:22.659 --> 00:22:24.240
 will also be told

00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:25.139
 in memory of her.

00:22:25.140 --> 00:22:29.080
 somehow Mary saw

00:22:29.080 --> 00:22:30.080
 or connected

00:22:30.080 --> 00:22:30.740
 or understood

00:22:30.740 --> 00:22:32.440
 who Jesus was

00:22:32.440 --> 00:22:33.660
 and what he had

00:22:33.660 --> 00:22:34.240
 come to do.

00:22:35.060 --> 00:22:35.740
 I don't think Mary

00:22:35.740 --> 00:22:36.960
 understood the full gospel.

00:22:37.480 --> 00:22:37.820
 I don't think

00:22:37.820 --> 00:22:38.620
 she understood it all,

00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:39.520
 but somehow

00:22:39.520 --> 00:22:40.580
 the eyes of her heart

00:22:40.580 --> 00:22:41.120
 had been opened

00:22:41.120 --> 00:22:41.740
 to see

00:22:41.740 --> 00:22:43.320
 that Jesus Christ

00:22:43.320 --> 00:22:44.380
 was not just a good man,

00:22:44.460 --> 00:22:45.480
 not just a great teacher.

00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:47.820
 Somehow she had come

00:22:47.820 --> 00:22:48.820
 to see that he had

00:22:48.820 --> 00:22:49.460
 to die

00:22:49.460 --> 00:22:50.380
 and that he would

00:22:50.380 --> 00:22:51.140
 rise again

00:22:51.140 --> 00:22:52.600
 and that the good news

00:22:52.600 --> 00:22:53.240
 of the gospel

00:22:53.240 --> 00:22:53.960
 that the prophets

00:22:53.960 --> 00:22:54.660
 had spoken about

00:22:54.660 --> 00:22:55.580
 for hundreds of years

00:22:55.580 --> 00:22:56.080
 was somehow

00:22:56.080 --> 00:22:56.900
 connected with him.

00:22:57.900 --> 00:22:58.700
 Remember Mary

00:22:58.700 --> 00:22:59.220
 and Martha

00:22:59.220 --> 00:23:00.180
 and Lazarus

00:23:00.180 --> 00:23:00.680
 were some of

00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:01.860
 Jesus' closest friends.

00:23:02.440 --> 00:23:03.420
 In John 11

00:23:03.420 --> 00:23:04.720
 when Jesus raises

00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:05.680
 Lazarus from the dead,

00:23:06.340 --> 00:23:07.080
 just before that

00:23:07.080 --> 00:23:07.900
 he has a conversation

00:23:07.900 --> 00:23:08.580
 with Martha,

00:23:09.100 --> 00:23:09.660
 Mary's sister,

00:23:09.720 --> 00:23:10.380
 and he says to her,

00:23:10.420 --> 00:23:11.440
 I am the resurrection

00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:12.020
 and the life.

00:23:12.120 --> 00:23:13.200
 Whoever believes in me,

00:23:13.620 --> 00:23:14.259
 though he die,

00:23:14.360 --> 00:23:15.180
 yet shall he live.

00:23:15.800 --> 00:23:16.100
 He says,

00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:17.200
 do you believe these things?

00:23:17.240 --> 00:23:17.780
 And she says,

00:23:17.880 --> 00:23:18.480
 yes Lord,

00:23:18.540 --> 00:23:19.780
 I believe that you

00:23:19.780 --> 00:23:20.759
 are the Christ

00:23:20.759 --> 00:23:22.319
 the Son of God

00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:23.400
 who is coming

00:23:23.400 --> 00:23:24.119
 into the world.

00:23:24.980 --> 00:23:26.259
 So Mary's sister Martha

00:23:26.259 --> 00:23:26.599
 says,

00:23:26.759 --> 00:23:27.420
 you are the Christ,

00:23:27.500 --> 00:23:28.319
 the anointed one,

00:23:28.400 --> 00:23:30.000
 the long-awaited Messiah King

00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:30.900
 who has come

00:23:30.900 --> 00:23:31.259
 into the world

00:23:31.259 --> 00:23:32.039
 to save us.

00:23:32.859 --> 00:23:33.680
 And I think Mary

00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:34.119
 had heard

00:23:34.119 --> 00:23:35.220
 of the many times

00:23:35.220 --> 00:23:36.160
 that Jesus says,

00:23:36.599 --> 00:23:37.200
 the Son of Man

00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:38.220
 is going to Jerusalem,

00:23:38.539 --> 00:23:39.200
 will be killed

00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:39.799
 and will rise

00:23:39.799 --> 00:23:40.519
 on the third day.

00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:42.279
 And somewhere along the line

00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:43.500
 she's connected the dots

00:23:43.500 --> 00:23:44.000
 and understood

00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:46.039
 this is the Messiah King.

00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:47.480
 And so she knew

00:23:47.480 --> 00:23:49.299
 about the extraordinary love

00:23:49.299 --> 00:23:51.259
 of an unlikely Savior.

00:23:52.299 --> 00:23:53.720
 And that's our second point today.

00:23:54.259 --> 00:23:55.259
 The extraordinary love

00:23:55.259 --> 00:23:56.259
 of an unnamed woman

00:23:56.259 --> 00:23:57.559
 is fueled

00:23:57.559 --> 00:23:58.359
 and motivated

00:23:58.359 --> 00:24:00.000
 by the extraordinary love

00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:01.480
 of an unlikely Savior

00:24:01.480 --> 00:24:02.740
 and deliverer.

00:24:02.940 --> 00:24:04.079
 Because look at what happens

00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:05.039
 in verse 17

00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:05.639
 and onwards.

00:24:06.859 --> 00:24:08.139
 This section

00:24:08.139 --> 00:24:09.259
 is all about

00:24:09.259 --> 00:24:09.799
 the Passover.

00:24:10.039 --> 00:24:10.859
 Look at how many times

00:24:10.859 --> 00:24:11.299
 Matthew

00:24:11.299 --> 00:24:13.579
 writes the word Passover

00:24:13.579 --> 00:24:14.819
 in the first three verses.

00:24:14.960 --> 00:24:15.240
 He says,

00:24:15.240 --> 00:24:16.960
 the disciples came to Jesus

00:24:16.960 --> 00:24:17.660
 saying,

00:24:17.960 --> 00:24:19.120
 where will you have us

00:24:19.120 --> 00:24:20.160
 prepare the Passover?

00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:21.500
 Jesus says,

00:24:21.579 --> 00:24:22.160
 go into the city

00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:22.880
 and tell the man,

00:24:23.019 --> 00:24:23.740
 I want to prepare

00:24:23.740 --> 00:24:24.359
 the Passover

00:24:24.359 --> 00:24:25.220
 at your house.

00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:26.299
 So the disciples

00:24:26.299 --> 00:24:27.059
 did as Jesus

00:24:27.059 --> 00:24:27.880
 had directed them

00:24:27.880 --> 00:24:28.700
 and they prepared

00:24:28.700 --> 00:24:29.480
 the Passover.

00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:31.259
 This entire section

00:24:31.259 --> 00:24:32.279
 is all about

00:24:32.279 --> 00:24:33.000
 the Passover.

00:24:34.380 --> 00:24:34.960
 But what was

00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:35.420
 the Passover?

00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:37.000
 Well,

00:24:37.059 --> 00:24:37.539
 the Passover

00:24:37.539 --> 00:24:39.519
 was this feast,

00:24:39.640 --> 00:24:40.359
 this celebration

00:24:40.359 --> 00:24:41.019
 in Israel.

00:24:41.279 --> 00:24:42.680
 It's the most important

00:24:42.680 --> 00:24:43.359
 celebration

00:24:43.359 --> 00:24:44.379
 in the history

00:24:44.379 --> 00:24:44.939
 of Israel.

00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:45.839
 It's like

00:24:45.839 --> 00:24:46.659
 Chinese New Year

00:24:46.659 --> 00:24:47.259
 and Christmas

00:24:47.259 --> 00:24:47.859
 and Easter

00:24:47.859 --> 00:24:49.240
 all rolled into one.

00:24:50.119 --> 00:24:50.839
 Where literally

00:24:50.839 --> 00:24:53.059
 almost every family

00:24:53.059 --> 00:24:54.379
 in the whole of Israel

00:24:54.379 --> 00:24:55.219
 will descend

00:24:55.219 --> 00:24:56.219
 on Jerusalem,

00:24:56.719 --> 00:24:58.179
 a couple of million people,

00:24:58.719 --> 00:25:00.199
 and they will celebrate

00:25:00.199 --> 00:25:01.419
 God's deliverance

00:25:01.419 --> 00:25:02.159
 from Egypt,

00:25:02.339 --> 00:25:03.399
 how God saved

00:25:03.399 --> 00:25:03.919
 and delivered

00:25:03.919 --> 00:25:04.639
 His people

00:25:04.639 --> 00:25:05.579
 by the blood

00:25:05.579 --> 00:25:06.079
 of the Lamb.

00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:07.819
 And why is it called

00:25:07.819 --> 00:25:08.339
 the Passover?

00:25:08.859 --> 00:25:10.299
 Because when God's people

00:25:10.299 --> 00:25:11.159
 were slaves

00:25:11.159 --> 00:25:12.039
 in Egypt,

00:25:12.039 --> 00:25:14.539
 one-off thousand years

00:25:14.539 --> 00:25:15.599
 before Jesus came,

00:25:16.579 --> 00:25:17.299
 how did God

00:25:17.299 --> 00:25:17.899
 deliver them?

00:25:18.339 --> 00:25:18.500
 Well,

00:25:18.579 --> 00:25:19.920
 God brings His judgment

00:25:19.920 --> 00:25:21.039
 on the nation of Israel

00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:21.759
 and on Pharaoh

00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:22.980
 because of His wickedness.

00:25:23.559 --> 00:25:23.839
 And so,

00:25:24.200 --> 00:25:26.059
 all of Egypt,

00:25:26.740 --> 00:25:28.819
 the firstborn son

00:25:28.819 --> 00:25:30.240
 of every family

00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:31.019
 is going to die.

00:25:31.639 --> 00:25:32.500
 God had warned them

00:25:32.500 --> 00:25:33.299
 and spoken to them

00:25:33.299 --> 00:25:34.000
 and called them

00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:34.519
 to repent

00:25:34.519 --> 00:25:35.159
 and to turn

00:25:35.159 --> 00:25:35.960
 and to listen to Him.

00:25:36.220 --> 00:25:37.019
 They won't have it

00:25:37.019 --> 00:25:37.680
 and so God says,

00:25:37.680 --> 00:25:38.079
 fine,

00:25:38.200 --> 00:25:39.119
 have things your way,

00:25:39.379 --> 00:25:40.220
 but there's a price.

00:25:40.220 --> 00:25:42.259
 And the consequences

00:25:42.259 --> 00:25:43.160
 for your wickedness

00:25:43.160 --> 00:25:43.640
 and rebellion

00:25:43.640 --> 00:25:45.480
 is that the firstborn son

00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:46.180
 of every family

00:25:46.180 --> 00:25:46.839
 is going to die

00:25:46.839 --> 00:25:50.120
 except for those

00:25:50.120 --> 00:25:52.420
 who will trust in God.

00:25:53.100 --> 00:25:53.960
 And what does it look like

00:25:53.960 --> 00:25:54.600
 to trust them?

00:25:55.500 --> 00:25:56.660
 They are to take a lamb

00:25:56.660 --> 00:25:58.500
 and to sacrifice it

00:25:58.500 --> 00:25:59.980
 and to take the blood

00:25:59.980 --> 00:26:00.759
 and to put the blood

00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:01.339
 in a bowl

00:26:01.339 --> 00:26:02.660
 and they're to stand

00:26:02.660 --> 00:26:03.259
 at the doorway

00:26:03.259 --> 00:26:03.920
 of their house

00:26:03.920 --> 00:26:05.240
 and they're to paint

00:26:05.240 --> 00:26:06.200
 the door frames

00:26:06.200 --> 00:26:06.900
 of their house

00:26:06.900 --> 00:26:07.860
 in the shape

00:26:07.860 --> 00:26:08.540
 of a cross

00:26:08.540 --> 00:26:10.080
 with the blood

00:26:10.080 --> 00:26:10.580
 of the lamb.

00:26:11.620 --> 00:26:12.440
 And that night

00:26:12.440 --> 00:26:14.060
 as judgment comes

00:26:14.060 --> 00:26:14.980
 over Israel,

00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:16.320
 every house

00:26:16.320 --> 00:26:17.040
 that has the blood

00:26:17.040 --> 00:26:17.519
 of the lamb

00:26:17.519 --> 00:26:18.600
 painted the shape

00:26:18.600 --> 00:26:19.160
 of the cross

00:26:19.160 --> 00:26:19.900
 in the door frames

00:26:19.900 --> 00:26:20.440
 of their house

00:26:20.440 --> 00:26:22.500
 will be passed over

00:26:22.500 --> 00:26:24.160
 and they will be saved.

00:26:25.840 --> 00:26:27.040
 And so those families

00:26:27.040 --> 00:26:28.140
 are delivered and saved.

00:26:29.500 --> 00:26:30.460
 And so the next day,

00:26:30.540 --> 00:26:31.160
 Pharaoh says,

00:26:31.280 --> 00:26:32.019
 okay, fine,

00:26:32.740 --> 00:26:33.620
 get out of Egypt.

00:26:33.619 --> 00:26:35.859
 And a couple of hundred

00:26:35.859 --> 00:26:36.419
 of thousand,

00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:37.599
 maybe million people

00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:38.500
 leave Egypt,

00:26:38.599 --> 00:26:40.039
 are saved and delivered,

00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:40.979
 set free

00:26:40.979 --> 00:26:42.559
 from an enemy

00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:43.459
 that they could not

00:26:43.459 --> 00:26:44.539
 save themselves from.

00:26:45.279 --> 00:26:46.039
 They are saved

00:26:46.039 --> 00:26:47.059
 by the blood of the lamb

00:26:47.059 --> 00:26:48.939
 as judgment passes over them

00:26:48.939 --> 00:26:50.799
 because they trusted in God.

00:26:51.859 --> 00:26:53.219
 And so every year

00:26:53.219 --> 00:26:54.399
 on the second month

00:26:54.399 --> 00:26:54.939
 of the year,

00:26:55.299 --> 00:26:56.419
 all of Israel

00:26:56.419 --> 00:26:57.559
 comes to Jerusalem,

00:26:57.739 --> 00:26:58.579
 they come to the temple,

00:26:58.699 --> 00:26:59.979
 they sacrifice lambs

00:26:59.979 --> 00:27:01.539
 and they celebrate

00:27:01.539 --> 00:27:02.279
 the Passover,

00:27:02.479 --> 00:27:03.319
 the time when God

00:27:03.319 --> 00:27:04.119
 saved them

00:27:04.119 --> 00:27:05.659
 by grace alone

00:27:05.659 --> 00:27:07.139
 from an enemy

00:27:07.139 --> 00:27:07.859
 that they could not

00:27:07.859 --> 00:27:08.779
 save themselves from.

00:27:10.039 --> 00:27:11.259
 And if you celebrated

00:27:11.259 --> 00:27:12.240
 the Cedar meal

00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:13.179
 with us over the last

00:27:13.179 --> 00:27:13.960
 few years at Easter,

00:27:14.059 --> 00:27:14.539
 you'll remember

00:27:14.539 --> 00:27:15.480
 some of the elements,

00:27:15.579 --> 00:27:15.799
 right?

00:27:16.399 --> 00:27:17.740
 All these amazing elements

00:27:17.740 --> 00:27:20.000
 at the Passover meal.

00:27:20.099 --> 00:27:21.159
 They eat the bitter herbs

00:27:21.159 --> 00:27:21.579
 to remember

00:27:21.579 --> 00:27:22.279
 the bitterness

00:27:22.279 --> 00:27:23.399
 of their time in Egypt.

00:27:24.119 --> 00:27:25.220
 They drink salt water

00:27:25.220 --> 00:27:26.279
 to remember the tears

00:27:26.279 --> 00:27:26.839
 that they cried

00:27:26.839 --> 00:27:27.939
 as they cried out to God

00:27:27.939 --> 00:27:28.980
 for deliverance.

00:27:29.599 --> 00:27:30.819
 They eat this mixture

00:27:30.819 --> 00:27:32.200
 of nuts and herbs

00:27:32.200 --> 00:27:33.259
 and fruit,

00:27:33.740 --> 00:27:34.380
 kind of like a mixture

00:27:34.380 --> 00:27:34.880
 of the clay

00:27:34.880 --> 00:27:35.460
 that they had to make

00:27:35.460 --> 00:27:36.259
 these clay bricks.

00:27:37.000 --> 00:27:37.640
 And they drink

00:27:37.640 --> 00:27:38.740
 this cup of wine

00:27:38.740 --> 00:27:39.840
 and every cup of wine

00:27:39.840 --> 00:27:41.299
 they proclaim the blessing

00:27:41.299 --> 00:27:42.720
 from Exodus chapter 6,

00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:43.000
 right?

00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:46.080
 Except this year,

00:27:46.880 --> 00:27:47.720
 in Matthew 26,

00:27:47.900 --> 00:27:48.880
 something's going to be different.

00:27:49.000 --> 00:27:49.700
 The Passover's

00:27:49.700 --> 00:27:50.319
 going to be different.

00:27:51.319 --> 00:27:52.360
 Jesus turns

00:27:52.360 --> 00:27:54.600
 this 2,000 year old tradition

00:27:54.600 --> 00:27:55.380
 on its head

00:27:55.380 --> 00:27:56.640
 because this year

00:27:56.640 --> 00:27:58.400
 Jesus rewrites the script.

00:27:58.400 --> 00:28:00.620
 And so as Jesus

00:28:00.620 --> 00:28:01.660
 is with his disciples

00:28:01.660 --> 00:28:02.480
 in Jerusalem

00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:03.680
 about to celebrate

00:28:03.680 --> 00:28:04.300
 the Passover,

00:28:04.440 --> 00:28:05.220
 the time when God

00:28:05.220 --> 00:28:06.320
 saved his people

00:28:06.320 --> 00:28:07.380
 from judgment,

00:28:08.019 --> 00:28:10.000
 Jesus rewrites the script.

00:28:10.519 --> 00:28:11.800
 And rather than picking up

00:28:11.800 --> 00:28:13.019
 the unleavened bread

00:28:13.019 --> 00:28:14.680
 and breaking in various pieces

00:28:14.680 --> 00:28:15.060
 and saying,

00:28:15.220 --> 00:28:16.080
 Blessed art thou,

00:28:16.200 --> 00:28:17.080
 Lord God of heaven,

00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:18.320
 creator of all things,

00:28:18.840 --> 00:28:19.460
 for from you

00:28:19.460 --> 00:28:20.480
 come the bread of the earth,

00:28:20.940 --> 00:28:22.420
 Jesus takes the unleavened bread

00:28:22.420 --> 00:28:23.300
 and he breaks it

00:28:23.300 --> 00:28:23.820
 and he says,

00:28:24.220 --> 00:28:24.540
 Take.

00:28:25.060 --> 00:28:25.660
 Eat this.

00:28:25.660 --> 00:28:27.460
 This is my body

00:28:27.460 --> 00:28:29.040
 that is broken for you

00:28:29.040 --> 00:28:30.460
 for your deliverance.

00:28:31.540 --> 00:28:32.680
 And rather than taking

00:28:32.680 --> 00:28:33.800
 a cup of wine

00:28:33.800 --> 00:28:34.259
 and saying,

00:28:34.460 --> 00:28:35.080
 Blessed are you,

00:28:35.220 --> 00:28:36.019
 Lord God of heaven,

00:28:36.180 --> 00:28:36.980
 creator of the earth,

00:28:37.259 --> 00:28:38.480
 from you come the fruit of the vine,

00:28:38.600 --> 00:28:39.700
 Jesus takes the wine,

00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:40.640
 the third cup,

00:28:40.660 --> 00:28:41.120
 and he says,

00:28:41.600 --> 00:28:42.560
 Take and drink this.

00:28:42.660 --> 00:28:43.820
 This is my blood

00:28:43.820 --> 00:28:44.880
 that is going to be poured out

00:28:44.880 --> 00:28:45.259
 for you

00:28:45.259 --> 00:28:46.860
 for your deliverance.

00:28:48.400 --> 00:28:48.800
 Friends,

00:28:48.840 --> 00:28:49.920
 you see what Jesus is saying here?

00:28:50.680 --> 00:28:52.080
 The Passover and the Exodus

00:28:52.080 --> 00:28:53.279
 is what constituted

00:28:53.279 --> 00:28:54.140
 the people of God.

00:28:54.140 --> 00:28:55.200
 It's what made them

00:28:55.200 --> 00:28:56.100
 the people of God.

00:28:56.320 --> 00:28:57.720
 The people of God

00:28:57.720 --> 00:28:58.580
 and the nation of Israel

00:28:58.580 --> 00:29:00.340
 were saved by God's grace.

00:29:00.940 --> 00:29:01.700
 That's what made them

00:29:01.700 --> 00:29:02.340
 who they were.

00:29:03.100 --> 00:29:04.340
 And Jesus now comes

00:29:04.340 --> 00:29:04.759
 and he says,

00:29:04.980 --> 00:29:06.640
 I am the true lamb of God

00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:07.759
 that is going to be sacrificed.

00:29:08.460 --> 00:29:09.680
 I am going to be sacrificed

00:29:09.680 --> 00:29:10.980
 to save God's people

00:29:10.980 --> 00:29:12.720
 that all those who trust in me

00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:14.920
 will be saved from judgment to come.

00:29:15.520 --> 00:29:16.600
 Not just from Pharaoh,

00:29:16.720 --> 00:29:17.400
 not just from Egypt,

00:29:17.520 --> 00:29:18.240
 but from hell,

00:29:18.740 --> 00:29:19.340
 from judgment,

00:29:19.460 --> 00:29:20.580
 for all eternity.

00:29:21.460 --> 00:29:22.140
 Jesus is instituting

00:29:22.680 --> 00:29:23.520
 a new covenant

00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:24.480
 the covenant

00:29:24.480 --> 00:29:25.900
 that Moses and Jeremiah

00:29:25.900 --> 00:29:27.200
 and Ezekiel spoke about.

00:29:27.639 --> 00:29:28.099
 A covenant

00:29:28.099 --> 00:29:29.039
 where all those

00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:29.839
 who come to him

00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:30.480
 and trust in him

00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:31.099
 will be saved

00:29:31.099 --> 00:29:31.700
 from their sins,

00:29:31.879 --> 00:29:32.599
 past, present,

00:29:32.700 --> 00:29:33.119
 and future,

00:29:33.259 --> 00:29:33.660
 forever.

00:29:34.200 --> 00:29:35.519
 Forgiveness for all people.

00:29:36.200 --> 00:29:36.980
 Where those

00:29:36.980 --> 00:29:38.059
 who were once rebels

00:29:38.059 --> 00:29:38.859
 will be transformed

00:29:38.859 --> 00:29:39.779
 into his family,

00:29:39.900 --> 00:29:40.859
 to sons and daughters.

00:29:42.039 --> 00:29:42.879
 Jesus comes

00:29:42.879 --> 00:29:43.819
 and he says

00:29:43.819 --> 00:29:45.000
 that I will save

00:29:45.000 --> 00:29:45.799
 God's people

00:29:45.799 --> 00:29:48.980
 by my extraordinary love.

00:29:49.960 --> 00:29:51.200
 The extraordinary love

00:29:51.200 --> 00:29:52.700
 of an unlikely savior.

00:29:52.700 --> 00:29:54.539
 And throughout this passage,

00:29:54.720 --> 00:29:55.700
 Jesus is entirely

00:29:55.700 --> 00:29:56.779
 in control of everything.

00:29:56.920 --> 00:29:58.080
 Look at verse 2.

00:29:58.160 --> 00:29:58.759
 I don't know if you remember.

00:29:59.559 --> 00:30:00.480
 Verse 2 says,

00:30:01.120 --> 00:30:01.840
 Jesus says,

00:30:01.920 --> 00:30:02.779
 after two days,

00:30:02.880 --> 00:30:03.840
 the Passover is coming,

00:30:03.920 --> 00:30:04.480
 the Son of Man

00:30:04.480 --> 00:30:05.200
 will be delivered up

00:30:05.200 --> 00:30:05.740
 and crucified.

00:30:06.480 --> 00:30:07.980
 The whole of Matthew's gospel

00:30:07.980 --> 00:30:08.580
 has been moving

00:30:08.580 --> 00:30:09.279
 in this climax.

00:30:09.620 --> 00:30:10.140
 And now,

00:30:10.299 --> 00:30:11.220
 over this passage

00:30:11.220 --> 00:30:13.559
 lies the shadow of Calvary.

00:30:14.080 --> 00:30:14.360
 And yet,

00:30:14.400 --> 00:30:15.759
 Jesus is unflinching.

00:30:16.259 --> 00:30:17.740
 He's not one bit concerned.

00:30:18.500 --> 00:30:19.080
 Jesus knows

00:30:19.080 --> 00:30:20.160
 what Judas is going to do.

00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:20.640
 He knows

00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:21.400
 what the high priest

00:30:21.400 --> 00:30:22.000
 is talking about.

00:30:22.280 --> 00:30:22.540
 He knows

00:30:22.540 --> 00:30:23.880
 every single bit of detail.

00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:24.700
 He's unflinching.

00:30:25.360 --> 00:30:26.020
 Because Jesus

00:30:26.020 --> 00:30:27.060
 is orchestrating

00:30:27.060 --> 00:30:28.820
 everything towards the cross.

00:30:28.900 --> 00:30:30.040
 Because this is why he came.

00:30:30.440 --> 00:30:31.800
 To die on the cross

00:30:31.800 --> 00:30:32.800
 for us.

00:30:33.740 --> 00:30:34.900
 Look at verse 5.

00:30:35.020 --> 00:30:35.380
 It says,

00:30:35.620 --> 00:30:36.200
 I love this.

00:30:36.340 --> 00:30:36.580
 It says,

00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:38.440
 Caiaphas says,

00:30:38.820 --> 00:30:39.759
 let's kill Jesus,

00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:41.500
 but not during the Passover,

00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:43.580
 unless there be an uproar

00:30:43.580 --> 00:30:44.300
 amongst the people.

00:30:45.080 --> 00:30:45.280
 So,

00:30:45.600 --> 00:30:46.320
 Caiaphas says,

00:30:46.620 --> 00:30:46.840
 listen,

00:30:46.920 --> 00:30:47.940
 let's wait for the Passover

00:30:47.940 --> 00:30:48.600
 to be over

00:30:48.600 --> 00:30:50.039
 and then you'll kill Jesus.

00:30:50.500 --> 00:30:51.580
 Except it didn't work out

00:30:51.580 --> 00:30:52.519
 how Caiaphas wanted,

00:30:52.620 --> 00:30:52.799
 right?

00:30:53.360 --> 00:30:54.519
 When did Jesus die?

00:30:55.400 --> 00:30:55.640
 Well,

00:30:55.759 --> 00:30:57.120
 John's Gospel tells us

00:30:57.120 --> 00:30:58.259
 that it seems

00:30:58.259 --> 00:30:59.779
 that at the very moment

00:30:59.779 --> 00:31:01.480
 that thousands of lambs

00:31:01.480 --> 00:31:02.580
 are being sacrificed

00:31:02.580 --> 00:31:03.620
 in the temple,

00:31:04.120 --> 00:31:04.840
 up on the hill

00:31:04.840 --> 00:31:05.759
 behind the temple

00:31:05.759 --> 00:31:07.019
 is the true Lamb of God

00:31:07.019 --> 00:31:08.759
 breathing his very last

00:31:08.759 --> 00:31:10.180
 at that very moment.

00:31:11.720 --> 00:31:11.900
 See,

00:31:11.900 --> 00:31:12.880
 Caiaphas didn't want Jesus

00:31:12.880 --> 00:31:13.740
 to die of Passover,

00:31:13.960 --> 00:31:15.140
 but Jesus is orchestrating

00:31:15.140 --> 00:31:15.799
 the whole thing

00:31:15.799 --> 00:31:16.700
 because he's the true

00:31:16.700 --> 00:31:17.860
 Lamb of God.

00:31:17.940 --> 00:31:19.820
 Friends,

00:31:19.860 --> 00:31:20.559
 we started off saying

00:31:20.559 --> 00:31:21.259
 that this passage

00:31:21.259 --> 00:31:22.340
 is about the extraordinary

00:31:22.340 --> 00:31:23.759
 love of two people.

00:31:24.460 --> 00:31:25.539
 It's about Mary's

00:31:25.539 --> 00:31:26.640
 extraordinary love

00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:27.860
 for the Messiah

00:31:27.860 --> 00:31:28.920
 that she's come to love,

00:31:29.580 --> 00:31:30.340
 Jesus Christ.

00:31:30.840 --> 00:31:31.940
 But even more than that,

00:31:31.960 --> 00:31:32.840
 it's about Jesus'

00:31:33.039 --> 00:31:33.940
 extraordinary love

00:31:33.940 --> 00:31:35.340
 for people like you and I.

00:31:35.840 --> 00:31:37.180
 That he would go to the cross

00:31:37.180 --> 00:31:38.559
 and take on our sin

00:31:38.559 --> 00:31:40.120
 and our shame

00:31:40.120 --> 00:31:41.820
 and our brokenness

00:31:41.820 --> 00:31:43.140
 and our rebellion

00:31:43.140 --> 00:31:43.779
 and our guilt.

00:31:43.940 --> 00:31:45.220
 Jesus would go to the cross

00:31:45.220 --> 00:31:47.779
 for sinners like you and I.

00:31:47.940 --> 00:31:49.500
 that we can know him

00:31:49.500 --> 00:31:50.940
 and love him

00:31:50.940 --> 00:31:52.080
 and be included

00:31:52.080 --> 00:31:52.720
 in his family.

00:31:53.200 --> 00:31:54.340
 That now we really

00:31:54.340 --> 00:31:55.299
 can worship him

00:31:55.299 --> 00:31:55.960
 and adore him

00:31:55.960 --> 00:31:57.240
 as he deserves.

00:31:58.400 --> 00:31:59.620
 In John chapter 11,

00:31:59.740 --> 00:32:00.600
 we spoke about it earlier,

00:32:00.740 --> 00:32:01.580
 when Jesus

00:32:01.580 --> 00:32:03.860
 hears that Lazarus

00:32:03.860 --> 00:32:04.340
 is ill,

00:32:04.960 --> 00:32:05.740
 John tells us,

00:32:05.799 --> 00:32:06.019
 he says,

00:32:06.100 --> 00:32:07.779
 now Jesus loved Martha

00:32:07.779 --> 00:32:09.279
 and her sister Mary

00:32:09.279 --> 00:32:10.440
 and Lazarus.

00:32:11.100 --> 00:32:12.740
 Jesus loved this family.

00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:14.440
 We saw earlier

00:32:14.440 --> 00:32:15.660
 Mary's love for Jesus

00:32:15.660 --> 00:32:17.480
 radical and extravagant,

00:32:17.680 --> 00:32:18.559
 deep and personal.

00:32:19.299 --> 00:32:19.640
 But friends,

00:32:19.700 --> 00:32:20.579
 that's nothing compared

00:32:20.579 --> 00:32:22.200
 to Jesus' radical love

00:32:22.200 --> 00:32:22.779
 for the world

00:32:22.779 --> 00:32:24.420
 for sinners like us.

00:32:25.099 --> 00:32:26.299
 Radical and extravagant,

00:32:26.680 --> 00:32:28.180
 deep and deeply personal.

00:32:28.740 --> 00:32:29.299
 That Jesus,

00:32:29.480 --> 00:32:30.059
 the Son of God,

00:32:30.200 --> 00:32:31.700
 would suffer for you and I.

00:32:32.460 --> 00:32:32.819
 And friends,

00:32:32.880 --> 00:32:33.720
 you know how we,

00:32:33.900 --> 00:32:34.259
 like Mary,

00:32:34.359 --> 00:32:35.279
 can give up everything

00:32:35.279 --> 00:32:35.980
 and worship him?

00:32:35.980 --> 00:32:38.920
 It's only by knowing

00:32:38.920 --> 00:32:40.220
 his love for us.

00:32:41.160 --> 00:32:42.860
 It's the extravagant love

00:32:42.860 --> 00:32:43.400
 of Jesus

00:32:43.400 --> 00:32:45.160
 that fuels our love

00:32:45.160 --> 00:32:45.860
 for him.

00:32:46.640 --> 00:32:47.380
 And the point here

00:32:47.380 --> 00:32:48.599
 is only as we see

00:32:48.599 --> 00:32:49.779
 Christ's love for us

00:32:49.779 --> 00:32:50.380
 can we actually

00:32:50.380 --> 00:32:51.400
 in any way

00:32:51.400 --> 00:32:52.759
 love him in return.

00:32:54.319 --> 00:32:56.440
 In 2017,

00:32:56.880 --> 00:32:57.680
 there was a British

00:32:57.680 --> 00:32:59.259
 parliamentarian,

00:32:59.400 --> 00:32:59.839
 politician

00:32:59.839 --> 00:33:01.079
 called Tim Farron.

00:33:01.660 --> 00:33:02.420
 He was the leader

00:33:02.420 --> 00:33:04.400
 of the Liberal Democratic Party,

00:33:04.539 --> 00:33:05.180
 which is the third

00:33:05.180 --> 00:33:05.799
 biggest party.

00:33:05.799 --> 00:33:06.559
 They're not the Labour

00:33:06.559 --> 00:33:07.559
 or the Conservatives.

00:33:08.159 --> 00:33:09.180
 But in 2017,

00:33:09.399 --> 00:33:09.960
 they were kind of

00:33:09.960 --> 00:33:10.740
 like the kingpins.

00:33:11.259 --> 00:33:13.099
 It was quite a powerful position

00:33:13.099 --> 00:33:14.819
 as the Labour and Conservatives

00:33:14.819 --> 00:33:16.200
 were fighting for power.

00:33:17.240 --> 00:33:18.419
 And Tim Farron

00:33:18.419 --> 00:33:19.119
 was the leader

00:33:19.119 --> 00:33:19.759
 of the party.

00:33:20.720 --> 00:33:22.639
 And one day,

00:33:22.759 --> 00:33:23.619
 his party

00:33:23.619 --> 00:33:24.879
 makes some decisions

00:33:24.879 --> 00:33:26.019
 that go against

00:33:26.019 --> 00:33:26.919
 his convictions

00:33:26.919 --> 00:33:28.539
 as a follower of Jesus.

00:33:29.299 --> 00:33:30.700
 And so he resigns

00:33:30.700 --> 00:33:31.980
 as the party leader.

00:33:32.779 --> 00:33:33.980
 And it was a remarkable

00:33:33.980 --> 00:33:34.339
 decision

00:33:34.339 --> 00:33:35.399
 because he's in his 40s,

00:33:35.400 --> 00:33:36.180
 because he's at the high

00:33:36.180 --> 00:33:37.140
 point of his career.

00:33:37.280 --> 00:33:38.140
 He's kind of the top

00:33:38.140 --> 00:33:39.100
 of his career.

00:33:39.420 --> 00:33:40.380
 He couldn't progress

00:33:40.380 --> 00:33:40.900
 any further.

00:33:41.460 --> 00:33:42.519
 And out of nowhere,

00:33:42.860 --> 00:33:43.820
 he resigns

00:33:43.820 --> 00:33:44.320
 as the leader

00:33:44.320 --> 00:33:44.860
 of the party.

00:33:45.000 --> 00:33:46.060
 And he almost demotes

00:33:46.060 --> 00:33:46.940
 himself to some,

00:33:47.040 --> 00:33:47.320
 you know,

00:33:47.780 --> 00:33:48.380
 backbencher,

00:33:48.500 --> 00:33:49.640
 ordinary parliamentarian.

00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:51.660
 And someone comes to him

00:33:51.660 --> 00:33:52.060
 and says,

00:33:52.280 --> 00:33:53.759
 why would you do that?

00:33:53.860 --> 00:33:54.060
 I mean,

00:33:54.100 --> 00:33:54.400
 you've got,

00:33:54.880 --> 00:33:55.560
 you're at the top

00:33:55.560 --> 00:33:56.100
 of your career.

00:33:56.200 --> 00:33:57.060
 Why would you walk

00:33:57.060 --> 00:33:57.880
 away from it now?

00:33:57.880 --> 00:34:00.160
 And Tim Farron quoted

00:34:00.160 --> 00:34:01.560
 the words from the old hymn

00:34:01.560 --> 00:34:02.300
 when I surveyed

00:34:02.300 --> 00:34:03.040
 the wondrous cross.

00:34:03.940 --> 00:34:04.180
 He says,

00:34:04.260 --> 00:34:05.280
 were the whole realm

00:34:05.280 --> 00:34:06.280
 of nature mine.

00:34:06.980 --> 00:34:08.000
 They were an offering

00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:09.039
 far too small.

00:34:09.740 --> 00:34:10.860
 Love so amazing,

00:34:11.519 --> 00:34:12.300
 so divine,

00:34:13.000 --> 00:34:14.119
 demands my life,

00:34:14.559 --> 00:34:15.200
 my soul,

00:34:15.840 --> 00:34:16.280
 my all.

00:34:17.360 --> 00:34:17.740
 See, friends,

00:34:17.800 --> 00:34:18.160
 at Watermark,

00:34:18.240 --> 00:34:19.079
 we talk about Jesus

00:34:19.079 --> 00:34:19.740
 and the gospel

00:34:19.740 --> 00:34:20.940
 and his grace a lot.

00:34:21.760 --> 00:34:22.559
 And the grace of God

00:34:22.559 --> 00:34:23.880
 is not meant to make us lazy.

00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:24.619
 We're not meant to say,

00:34:24.700 --> 00:34:25.599
 oh, Jesus died on the cross,

00:34:25.599 --> 00:34:26.699
 I can do whatever I want.

00:34:27.199 --> 00:34:28.159
 I can sin however I want

00:34:28.159 --> 00:34:29.199
 because Jesus covered it all,

00:34:29.219 --> 00:34:29.440
 right?

00:34:29.860 --> 00:34:30.480
 Who cares?

00:34:31.079 --> 00:34:31.559
 No, no, friends,

00:34:31.639 --> 00:34:32.579
 the love of Christ

00:34:32.579 --> 00:34:33.599
 is so amazing,

00:34:34.400 --> 00:34:35.219
 so divine,

00:34:35.940 --> 00:34:36.960
 so extravagant.

00:34:37.059 --> 00:34:37.980
 It's meant to cause

00:34:37.980 --> 00:34:39.779
 a fireball of explosion

00:34:39.779 --> 00:34:40.400
 in our hearts

00:34:40.400 --> 00:34:41.400
 that says,

00:34:41.480 --> 00:34:41.739
 Jesus,

00:34:41.880 --> 00:34:42.639
 have my life,

00:34:42.759 --> 00:34:43.319
 my soul,

00:34:43.819 --> 00:34:44.480
 my life,

00:34:45.039 --> 00:34:45.460
 my all.

00:34:47.539 --> 00:34:47.940
 Friends,

00:34:48.000 --> 00:34:48.940
 it's entirely impossible

00:34:48.940 --> 00:34:49.980
 to be very religious

00:34:49.980 --> 00:34:50.980
 and yet end up

00:34:50.980 --> 00:34:52.119
 like Judas Iscariot.

00:34:52.940 --> 00:34:54.000
 It's entirely possible

00:34:54.000 --> 00:34:54.960
 to be very religious

00:34:54.960 --> 00:34:55.500
 and end up

00:34:55.500 --> 00:34:56.260
 like Caiaphas.

00:34:57.199 --> 00:34:57.760
 How are we going

00:34:57.760 --> 00:34:58.179
 to be those

00:34:58.179 --> 00:34:59.699
 that are so in love,

00:34:59.780 --> 00:35:00.280
 so enamored

00:35:00.280 --> 00:35:01.360
 with Jesus Christ

00:35:01.360 --> 00:35:02.300
 that we pour out

00:35:02.300 --> 00:35:02.880
 our all with him?

00:35:03.780 --> 00:35:04.159
 Ironically,

00:35:04.239 --> 00:35:05.019
 it's not by looking

00:35:05.019 --> 00:35:05.940
 at Mary and saying,

00:35:06.059 --> 00:35:07.059
 I want to be more like her.

00:35:07.800 --> 00:35:08.559
 It's not by looking

00:35:08.559 --> 00:35:09.199
 at Mary and saying,

00:35:09.300 --> 00:35:10.099
 what are the three lessons

00:35:10.099 --> 00:35:10.579
 we can learn

00:35:10.579 --> 00:35:11.159
 from her life?

00:35:11.760 --> 00:35:12.619
 It's actually forgetting

00:35:12.619 --> 00:35:13.619
 about Mary altogether.

00:35:14.159 --> 00:35:14.699
 It's forgetting

00:35:14.699 --> 00:35:15.739
 about ourselves altogether.

00:35:15.900 --> 00:35:16.880
 It's by looking at Jesus

00:35:16.880 --> 00:35:17.800
 and seeing what he did

00:35:17.800 --> 00:35:18.579
 on the cross for us.

00:35:19.119 --> 00:35:19.900
 And as we see

00:35:19.900 --> 00:35:21.059
 the extraordinary love

00:35:21.059 --> 00:35:21.519
 of Christ

00:35:21.519 --> 00:35:22.460
 for sinners like us,

00:35:22.519 --> 00:35:23.880
 it will melt our hearts

00:35:23.880 --> 00:35:25.740
 to love him in return.

00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:27.400
 This is how we love

00:35:27.400 --> 00:35:27.920
 like Mary.

00:35:28.340 --> 00:35:29.460
 Not by looking at her,

00:35:29.880 --> 00:35:30.900
 but by looking at Jesus.

00:35:31.700 --> 00:35:32.000
 Friends,

00:35:32.059 --> 00:35:32.480
 is there anything

00:35:32.480 --> 00:35:33.579
 that you won't do for love?

00:35:34.340 --> 00:35:35.400
 Anything that's too far,

00:35:35.579 --> 00:35:36.980
 too hard to let go of?

00:35:37.519 --> 00:35:38.280
 Come to Jesus

00:35:38.280 --> 00:35:39.619
 and let his extraordinary love

00:35:39.619 --> 00:35:40.440
 melt your heart

00:35:40.440 --> 00:35:41.579
 that you too

00:35:41.579 --> 00:35:42.760
 can worship him

00:35:42.760 --> 00:35:43.420
 as he deserves.

00:35:43.880 --> 00:35:44.700
 Let's pray together.

00:35:55.700 --> 00:35:56.420
 Lord Jesus,

00:35:56.539 --> 00:35:57.280
 we must confess

00:35:57.280 --> 00:35:57.980
 that as we look

00:35:57.980 --> 00:35:58.820
 at this passage,

00:35:59.740 --> 00:36:01.059
 we don't love you

00:36:01.059 --> 00:36:01.780
 anything like

00:36:01.780 --> 00:36:02.460
 what you deserve.

00:36:05.079 --> 00:36:05.519
 Father,

00:36:05.579 --> 00:36:06.200
 I must confess

00:36:06.200 --> 00:36:07.679
 that my heart

00:36:07.679 --> 00:36:09.500
 is probably more closer

00:36:09.500 --> 00:36:10.480
 to that of Caiaphas,

00:36:11.340 --> 00:36:12.539
 thinking about my own kingdom,

00:36:12.699 --> 00:36:13.219
 my own will,

00:36:13.400 --> 00:36:14.099
 my own life,

00:36:15.139 --> 00:36:15.860
 probably closer

00:36:15.860 --> 00:36:17.000
 to Judas Iscariot,

00:36:17.920 --> 00:36:18.400
 thinking about

00:36:18.400 --> 00:36:19.320
 how I can enrich myself

00:36:19.320 --> 00:36:20.320
 in really loving you

00:36:20.320 --> 00:36:21.019
 wholeheartedly.

00:36:23.719 --> 00:36:24.159
 Jesus,

00:36:24.239 --> 00:36:25.199
 this morning we confess

00:36:25.199 --> 00:36:26.239
 we need your grace,

00:36:26.760 --> 00:36:28.579
 not only to save us

00:36:28.579 --> 00:36:29.440
 from our sins,

00:36:29.920 --> 00:36:31.159
 but to change our hearts.

00:36:32.739 --> 00:36:33.179
 Jesus,

00:36:33.239 --> 00:36:34.840
 we need your extravagant love

00:36:34.840 --> 00:36:36.320
 to come and melt our hearts

00:36:36.320 --> 00:36:37.280
 to love you in return.

00:36:37.280 --> 00:36:39.519
 And so Christ,

00:36:39.580 --> 00:36:40.000
 I pray,

00:36:40.960 --> 00:36:41.560
 won't you come

00:36:41.560 --> 00:36:42.660
 and do that amongst us.

00:36:43.840 --> 00:36:44.340
 Lord Jesus,

00:36:44.400 --> 00:36:46.300
 as we come to the communion table now

00:36:46.300 --> 00:36:47.620
 and we take the elements,

00:36:47.760 --> 00:36:48.380
 I pray,

00:36:48.540 --> 00:36:48.660
 God,

00:36:48.720 --> 00:36:49.960
 open the eyes of our hearts

00:36:49.960 --> 00:36:52.180
 to see our depravity

00:36:52.180 --> 00:36:52.720
 and our sin,

00:36:53.380 --> 00:36:55.080
 to see our hopeless condition,

00:36:55.840 --> 00:36:57.680
 to see how utterly lost

00:36:57.680 --> 00:36:58.740
 we were without you,

00:36:59.460 --> 00:37:01.240
 and to see your great mercy

00:37:01.240 --> 00:37:02.380
 and your great love for us.

00:37:03.460 --> 00:37:03.740
 God,

00:37:03.800 --> 00:37:05.080
 may we see in these elements

00:37:05.079 --> 00:37:05.619
 this morning,

00:37:05.719 --> 00:37:07.259
 more than just a wafer

00:37:07.259 --> 00:37:08.059
 and some juice,

00:37:08.699 --> 00:37:09.400
 but Jesus,

00:37:09.559 --> 00:37:10.500
 the Son of glory

00:37:10.500 --> 00:37:12.420
 and His amazing love for us.

00:37:14.099 --> 00:37:14.639
 And God,

00:37:14.719 --> 00:37:15.500
 come and change us.