1 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:07,380 Welcome to From the Pulpit and Classic Sermons. 2 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:09,480 Each week we bring you a different message 3 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:11,500 from some of history's greatest speakers in the 4 00:00:11,500 --> 00:00:14,120 Christian faith, and powerful sermons from modern preachers, 5 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:14,400 too. 6 00:00:14,980 --> 00:00:17,180 This week we have David Ravenhill with his 7 00:00:17,180 --> 00:00:18,620 message, The True Gospel. 8 00:00:19,980 --> 00:00:23,740 We have a story of a woman who 9 00:00:23,740 --> 00:00:25,940 came and ministered to the Lord Jesus Christ 10 00:00:25,940 --> 00:00:27,260 in such an incredible way. 11 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:30,060 If you have read this story, I'm sure 12 00:00:30,060 --> 00:00:33,960 you've seen a similar story in Matthew and 13 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,060 Mark, as well as John. 14 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:40,420 The fact is there are three separate occasions 15 00:00:40,420 --> 00:00:41,920 that are very similar. 16 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:43,860 Many people confuse them and think that all 17 00:00:43,860 --> 00:00:45,880 four Gospels record the same event. 18 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:49,120 Matthew and Mark record one, Luke records a 19 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,140 separate event, John records a separate event again. 20 00:00:52,140 --> 00:00:55,920 But I want to borrow from Matthew's account, 21 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:59,020 because Jesus made the statement, wherever the Gospel 22 00:00:59,020 --> 00:01:00,860 is proclaimed in all the world, I want 23 00:01:00,860 --> 00:01:03,080 you to tell the story of this woman. 24 00:01:03,420 --> 00:01:05,180 In other words, what this woman did on 25 00:01:05,180 --> 00:01:07,760 that occasion had a profound impact on the 26 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:08,580 Lord Jesus Christ. 27 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:10,360 Out of all the things that Jesus could 28 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,360 have singled out in His life, in His 29 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:17,160 ministry, in His relationships with other people, He 30 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:20,760 chose to say, take this message to the 31 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:21,280 nations. 32 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:23,820 What this woman has done, I want a 33 00:01:23,820 --> 00:01:26,820 memorial, I want this to be done in 34 00:01:26,820 --> 00:01:27,840 memory of her. 35 00:01:29,140 --> 00:01:31,940 I think of all the women that impacted 36 00:01:31,940 --> 00:01:32,900 the life of Jesus. 37 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,520 He could have said, wherever the Gospel is 38 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:38,420 proclaimed, I want you to tell them about 39 00:01:38,420 --> 00:01:39,200 Mary, my mother. 40 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:41,300 But He never said that. 41 00:01:42,100 --> 00:01:44,060 He could have singled out some other event, 42 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:47,240 and yet it was this story that He 43 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:50,720 chose to place alongside the Gospel. 44 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:51,760 And I've wondered why. 45 00:01:52,980 --> 00:01:54,980 And I've come to this conclusion, rightly or 46 00:01:54,980 --> 00:01:57,220 wrongly, that this woman, and what she did, 47 00:01:57,340 --> 00:01:59,380 epitomizes what the Gospel is all about. 48 00:02:00,340 --> 00:02:01,800 In other words, we can look at the 49 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:06,480 Gospel in theological terms, talk about regeneration, propitiation, 50 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:11,400 sanctification, justification, redemption, all those, you know, great 51 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:13,100 million dollar sort of words. 52 00:02:14,180 --> 00:02:16,320 But unless you understand them, it really doesn't 53 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:16,800 mean much. 54 00:02:17,500 --> 00:02:19,340 But then you can take the Gospel and 55 00:02:19,340 --> 00:02:21,640 you can flesh it out, as it were, 56 00:02:21,860 --> 00:02:24,840 and you can exemplify it through the life 57 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:26,100 of a person. 58 00:02:26,220 --> 00:02:29,580 And I think this woman typifies and exemplifies 59 00:02:29,580 --> 00:02:32,880 the Gospel better than any other person that 60 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:33,400 I know of. 61 00:02:34,460 --> 00:02:36,460 And so let's look at the story together. 62 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:39,880 It says in verse 37, Behold, there was 63 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:41,140 a woman in the city who was a 64 00:02:41,140 --> 00:02:41,280 sinner. 65 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:46,020 And when she learned that he was reclining 66 00:02:46,020 --> 00:02:48,200 at table in the Pharisee's house, she brought 67 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:50,480 an alabaster vial of perfume. 68 00:02:51,340 --> 00:02:55,280 That little phrase, when she learned that he 69 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:57,600 was reclining in the Pharisee's house. 70 00:02:59,860 --> 00:03:03,560 This woman was a pursuer of Jesus, a 71 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:04,300 seeker of Jesus. 72 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:06,960 She wanted to meet Him, she wanted to 73 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:07,400 know Him. 74 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:11,140 She broke all the sort of the taboos, 75 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:12,260 if you like, of her day. 76 00:03:12,380 --> 00:03:17,740 The social realm, the religious realm, the cultural 77 00:03:17,740 --> 00:03:18,240 realm. 78 00:03:18,740 --> 00:03:22,020 You don't walk in uninvited into somebody's home. 79 00:03:22,860 --> 00:03:25,160 That is not something that we do in 80 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:26,800 any culture that I know of. 81 00:03:27,260 --> 00:03:31,100 She was not randomly knocking on doors saying, 82 00:03:31,220 --> 00:03:32,300 who is your guest tonight? 83 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:34,300 Oh, so and so, not interested. 84 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:35,380 Who's your guest tonight? 85 00:03:35,460 --> 00:03:35,960 Not interested. 86 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:41,400 No, she was pursuing Jesus Christ. 87 00:03:41,860 --> 00:03:42,960 She had a passion. 88 00:03:43,660 --> 00:03:44,460 She was desperate. 89 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:47,740 She was desperate enough again to cross all 90 00:03:47,740 --> 00:03:51,960 the protocol of the day and come to 91 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:54,100 this Pharisee's house. 92 00:03:55,940 --> 00:03:59,080 How many of you know that sinners and 93 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:01,300 Pharisees don't mix very well? 94 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:04,260 And yet here is a woman, not just 95 00:04:04,260 --> 00:04:05,880 an ordinary woman, but a prostitute. 96 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:10,920 And she is in the Pharisee's house. 97 00:04:12,140 --> 00:04:14,180 But she learned that He was there. 98 00:04:15,519 --> 00:04:16,579 How did she learn? 99 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,579 Well, I can only base this on some 100 00:04:20,579 --> 00:04:21,880 various scriptures. 101 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:23,600 I don't know if what I'm about to 102 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:27,160 say is true, but the possibility of it 103 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:28,240 being right is there. 104 00:04:28,980 --> 00:04:31,620 Maybe one day she was coming home from 105 00:04:31,620 --> 00:04:33,540 a night of activity, selling her body on 106 00:04:33,540 --> 00:04:36,820 the streets, walking through the marketplace, and she 107 00:04:36,820 --> 00:04:38,580 paused for a moment because there was a 108 00:04:38,580 --> 00:04:41,040 large crowd gathered listening to somebody speaking. 109 00:04:42,620 --> 00:04:44,740 And as she paused, she heard for the 110 00:04:44,740 --> 00:04:46,280 first time in her life about the love 111 00:04:46,280 --> 00:04:46,620 of God. 112 00:04:47,820 --> 00:04:51,660 She heard Jesus Christ talk about God as 113 00:04:51,660 --> 00:04:55,200 being a Father, compassionate, kind, merciful. 114 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:59,080 She heard instead of the law of God 115 00:04:59,080 --> 00:04:59,980 about the love of God. 116 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:02,560 She heard about cleansing. 117 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:03,920 She heard about reconciliation. 118 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,760 She heard about God's compassion for lost sinners. 119 00:05:09,420 --> 00:05:11,020 Maybe that's what drew her. 120 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:13,620 Or maybe it was different than that. 121 00:05:13,700 --> 00:05:16,420 Maybe one day again she was walking through 122 00:05:16,420 --> 00:05:20,820 the marketplace, and Jesus was addressing the scribes 123 00:05:20,820 --> 00:05:21,680 and the Pharisees. 124 00:05:22,940 --> 00:05:24,520 They stood out from the crowd. 125 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:27,980 These days, you know, we have our clerical 126 00:05:27,980 --> 00:05:28,580 collars. 127 00:05:29,180 --> 00:05:32,180 In those days, they had their long garments 128 00:05:32,180 --> 00:05:33,480 and then their phylacteries. 129 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:37,240 Every time they memorized scripture, you know, they 130 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:39,760 would put it in a little leather pouch. 131 00:05:40,060 --> 00:05:41,380 And of course, the more of these things 132 00:05:41,380 --> 00:05:43,380 that you had, the more spiritual you were. 133 00:05:45,280 --> 00:05:48,100 They were like an old English sheepdog, you 134 00:05:48,100 --> 00:05:48,220 know. 135 00:05:48,280 --> 00:05:49,700 They could hardly see them, you know, after 136 00:05:49,700 --> 00:05:49,960 a while. 137 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:57,420 And Jesus said this, prostitutes and tax gatherers 138 00:05:57,420 --> 00:05:59,740 will make it into the kingdom of God 139 00:05:59,740 --> 00:06:00,320 before you. 140 00:06:03,390 --> 00:06:05,970 That is not how you begin a pastor's 141 00:06:05,970 --> 00:06:10,010 conference, but that's the way Jesus began. 142 00:06:11,050 --> 00:06:11,910 You hypocrites. 143 00:06:13,570 --> 00:06:15,810 And maybe when she heard that, she thought, 144 00:06:15,930 --> 00:06:21,150 is it possible that a prostitute like me 145 00:06:21,150 --> 00:06:24,270 could actually be part of God's kingdom? 146 00:06:25,410 --> 00:06:27,190 Is there such a thing as that sort 147 00:06:27,190 --> 00:06:29,030 of cleansing, that sort of reconciliation? 148 00:06:29,870 --> 00:06:31,850 Could I be a part of God's kingdom? 149 00:06:32,790 --> 00:06:36,450 Did he say that with, you know, a 150 00:06:36,450 --> 00:06:38,270 sense of jest, or did he really mean 151 00:06:38,270 --> 00:06:38,370 it? 152 00:06:38,390 --> 00:06:39,350 I've got to find out more. 153 00:06:39,410 --> 00:06:40,410 I've got to meet this man. 154 00:06:40,850 --> 00:06:42,210 I've got to talk to this man. 155 00:06:42,670 --> 00:06:44,630 I need to spend time with this man. 156 00:06:44,790 --> 00:06:45,230 What if? 157 00:06:45,350 --> 00:06:47,010 What if there's a possibility that I could 158 00:06:47,010 --> 00:06:48,430 be changed and transformed? 159 00:06:48,790 --> 00:06:51,010 And so she makes some inquiries. 160 00:06:53,010 --> 00:06:54,650 And so she ends up here in the 161 00:06:54,650 --> 00:06:56,810 house of Simon the Pharisee. 162 00:06:57,430 --> 00:07:01,010 You see, she learned that he was reclining. 163 00:07:02,010 --> 00:07:03,410 She was pursuing him. 164 00:07:03,510 --> 00:07:04,390 She wanted to meet him. 165 00:07:04,490 --> 00:07:05,490 She wanted to know him. 166 00:07:05,890 --> 00:07:08,450 She wanted to have an encounter with God. 167 00:07:09,230 --> 00:07:10,850 And so she seeks him out. 168 00:07:11,470 --> 00:07:14,930 Now, I don't know if that is accurate 169 00:07:14,930 --> 00:07:16,950 in that sense, but I know this, that 170 00:07:16,950 --> 00:07:19,070 just that little phrase tells me that she 171 00:07:19,070 --> 00:07:20,090 was pursuing him. 172 00:07:20,990 --> 00:07:23,190 And she was willing again to walk into 173 00:07:23,190 --> 00:07:29,950 a house of a Pharisee, speaks about desperation, 174 00:07:31,410 --> 00:07:33,990 speaks about a passion that she had to 175 00:07:33,990 --> 00:07:34,350 meet him. 176 00:07:35,470 --> 00:07:37,210 She didn't care what men thought. 177 00:07:38,090 --> 00:07:41,570 She didn't care what her reputation was anymore. 178 00:07:41,670 --> 00:07:42,930 I've got to meet this man. 179 00:07:43,070 --> 00:07:44,690 I know where he is, and I'm going 180 00:07:44,690 --> 00:07:45,290 to find him. 181 00:07:46,990 --> 00:07:48,710 So let's look at this story together. 182 00:07:48,810 --> 00:07:50,590 The first thing about this woman is she 183 00:07:50,590 --> 00:07:51,410 comes as a sinner. 184 00:07:53,130 --> 00:07:54,770 It says, Behold, there was a woman in 185 00:07:54,770 --> 00:07:55,710 the city who was a sinner. 186 00:07:55,790 --> 00:07:57,570 That's the beginning of the gospel, isn't it? 187 00:07:57,570 --> 00:08:00,710 The recognition that I'm a sinner, the recognition 188 00:08:00,710 --> 00:08:02,570 that I have a need of a Savior, 189 00:08:02,970 --> 00:08:05,430 the recognition that I can't change my life 190 00:08:05,430 --> 00:08:06,150 by myself. 191 00:08:06,150 --> 00:08:08,710 I can't lift myself up by my own 192 00:08:08,710 --> 00:08:13,050 bootstraps, that there is nothing in me, no 193 00:08:13,050 --> 00:08:15,490 good thing that dwells in my flesh. 194 00:08:15,910 --> 00:08:17,210 I need a Savior. 195 00:08:17,430 --> 00:08:18,790 I need freedom from sin. 196 00:08:22,420 --> 00:08:24,140 One of the hardest things to admit, I 197 00:08:24,140 --> 00:08:25,220 think, is that we're a sinner. 198 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:29,960 This woman comes, again, just as she is. 199 00:08:31,679 --> 00:08:33,640 As Billy Graham has made that song so 200 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:34,940 popular, just as I am. 201 00:08:37,299 --> 00:08:39,039 She doesn't try and cover up. 202 00:08:39,179 --> 00:08:40,760 She doesn't try and mask her problems. 203 00:08:40,919 --> 00:08:43,360 She doesn't come trying to, you know, pretend 204 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:45,020 that she's somebody different. 205 00:08:45,560 --> 00:08:47,340 No, she comes as a sinner. 206 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:49,380 That's the beginning of the gospel. 207 00:08:49,860 --> 00:08:51,760 We have to recognize that we're sinners. 208 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:54,400 All have sinned, come short of the glory 209 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:54,720 of God. 210 00:08:55,900 --> 00:08:57,660 The second thing is she came to the 211 00:08:57,660 --> 00:08:58,640 only one that could help her. 212 00:08:59,540 --> 00:09:01,460 She came to the Lord Jesus Christ. 213 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:04,280 She doesn't go to a temple. 214 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:06,200 She doesn't go to some synagogue. 215 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:08,920 She doesn't go to a priest. 216 00:09:09,340 --> 00:09:11,420 She doesn't go to some rabbi. 217 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,060 She comes to the Savior of the world, 218 00:09:14,180 --> 00:09:15,220 the Lord Jesus Christ. 219 00:09:17,300 --> 00:09:19,560 That's the second phase of the gospel, the 220 00:09:19,560 --> 00:09:22,460 recognition that there is only one mediator between 221 00:09:22,460 --> 00:09:23,200 God and man. 222 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:25,460 There's only one person that is the way, 223 00:09:25,540 --> 00:09:26,480 the truth, and the life. 224 00:09:27,020 --> 00:09:30,480 There's only one person that can transform your 225 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:32,080 life, that can save you from sin. 226 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:34,520 There's only one that ever paid that atoning 227 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:37,080 price and died on the cross, became sin 228 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:38,460 for us. 229 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:41,240 He who knew no sin took your sin 230 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:43,100 and my sin upon himself. 231 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:45,180 And so she comes again to the only 232 00:09:45,180 --> 00:09:48,000 one that can set her free. 233 00:09:49,140 --> 00:09:51,340 There's only one person again that can transform 234 00:09:51,340 --> 00:09:51,860 your life. 235 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:53,180 I can't. 236 00:09:53,740 --> 00:09:55,520 Oh, I can introduce you to Him, but 237 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,120 only God Himself can change you. 238 00:09:58,680 --> 00:10:01,600 I'm sure this woman had tried religion before 239 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:04,720 only to find out that she was rejected, 240 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:07,240 only to find out that, listen, when they 241 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:08,900 found out who she was and what she 242 00:10:08,900 --> 00:10:11,460 was doing and the lifestyle that she had, 243 00:10:11,500 --> 00:10:12,720 we don't want to have anything to do 244 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:13,140 with you. 245 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:14,760 We don't want you a part of our 246 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:15,980 young people's group. 247 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:17,840 We don't want you coming into our church. 248 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:21,080 You know, we've got standards and so on. 249 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:26,160 Some of the cruelest people in the world 250 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:27,780 are religious people, isn't that right? 251 00:10:28,700 --> 00:10:31,580 The harshest language Jesus ever spoke was to 252 00:10:31,580 --> 00:10:32,740 the religious community. 253 00:10:33,660 --> 00:10:36,840 Some of His greatest illustrations were targeted at 254 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:40,160 exposing the hypocrisy of religious people. 255 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:42,740 These that were supposed to represent God, but 256 00:10:42,740 --> 00:10:45,660 they had no compassion, no love, no kindness. 257 00:10:48,860 --> 00:10:51,000 And so she'd been rejected maybe over and 258 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:55,300 over, but she finally found somebody that was 259 00:10:55,300 --> 00:10:58,020 tender, compassionate, merciful. 260 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:00,800 And so she comes to the only one 261 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:01,460 that could help her. 262 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:04,640 The third thing about this woman is she 263 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:06,620 came prepared to give everything that she had. 264 00:11:08,460 --> 00:11:11,420 The Bible says she brought with her this 265 00:11:11,420 --> 00:11:12,540 alabaster box. 266 00:11:14,740 --> 00:11:17,320 If I were to draw from some of 267 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:21,780 the other accounts that are similar, the one 268 00:11:21,780 --> 00:11:24,500 lady that brought her alabaster box, the Bible 269 00:11:24,500 --> 00:11:27,900 says it was worth 300 denarii. 270 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:31,140 A denarii was a copper coin that was 271 00:11:31,140 --> 00:11:33,060 the equivalent of one day's wages. 272 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:37,920 And it says it was worth over 300 273 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:38,540 denarii. 274 00:11:39,380 --> 00:11:41,700 We have 365 days in a year. 275 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:47,080 We have 52 Sabbaths in which you did 276 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:47,640 not work. 277 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:51,140 You had the various feast days, and so 278 00:11:51,140 --> 00:11:54,080 you end up with about 300 days of 279 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:54,440 work. 280 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,960 And this was worth over 300 days' salary. 281 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:03,600 In other words, she brought a one-year 282 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:05,880 salary to the Lord Jesus Christ. 283 00:12:07,390 --> 00:12:09,120 That's what I call extravagant. 284 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:10,660 It's not often that that happens. 285 00:12:10,900 --> 00:12:12,900 We give our tithe, and rightly so, 10 286 00:12:12,900 --> 00:12:15,180 percent, but when do we give 100 percent? 287 00:12:16,100 --> 00:12:17,940 When's the last time you looked at your 288 00:12:17,940 --> 00:12:19,920 record of what you paid last year in 289 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:22,800 taxes and your income for the year, and 290 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:24,400 you could give that entire amount? 291 00:12:24,560 --> 00:12:25,900 I mean, here is a woman that gives 292 00:12:25,900 --> 00:12:28,020 every single thing that she has. 293 00:12:28,900 --> 00:12:30,180 That's the gospel to me. 294 00:12:31,580 --> 00:12:33,800 You see, God is not interested in your 295 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:34,160 sin. 296 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:34,820 He wants you. 297 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:37,260 Most of the time, we give Him the 298 00:12:37,260 --> 00:12:37,500 dirt. 299 00:12:37,620 --> 00:12:38,600 We give Him all the filth. 300 00:12:38,700 --> 00:12:39,880 We give Him all the things that we've 301 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:40,720 done that are wrong. 302 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:42,320 We say, Lord, clean me up, and so 303 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:42,480 on. 304 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:44,500 And then we take our clean-up life, 305 00:12:44,740 --> 00:12:46,980 and we live it for our own ends. 306 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:48,860 Oh, we do a little here and a 307 00:12:48,860 --> 00:12:51,660 little there for the gospel, but basically, we've 308 00:12:51,660 --> 00:12:53,620 never really given God our life. 309 00:12:54,140 --> 00:12:55,660 We've just given Him our sin. 310 00:12:57,900 --> 00:12:59,720 The Bible says, where your treasure is, there 311 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:00,720 will your heart be also. 312 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:03,380 And it tells me something about this woman. 313 00:13:03,500 --> 00:13:06,460 She came prepared, again, to give every single 314 00:13:06,460 --> 00:13:07,340 thing to God. 315 00:13:07,620 --> 00:13:08,480 That's the gospel. 316 00:13:08,700 --> 00:13:09,680 Love is so amazing. 317 00:13:10,140 --> 00:13:12,980 So divine, demands my soul, my life, my 318 00:13:12,980 --> 00:13:13,280 all. 319 00:13:14,500 --> 00:13:15,820 Are you prepared to give Him everything? 320 00:13:17,300 --> 00:13:19,620 Is there something in your life you're withholding 321 00:13:19,620 --> 00:13:21,720 and say, God, you can have all this, 322 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:22,940 but don't touch this? 323 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:24,840 That's not the gospel. 324 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:26,960 He's worthy of everything. 325 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:30,380 Don't hold back. 326 00:13:31,180 --> 00:13:32,520 This woman didn't hold back. 327 00:13:33,020 --> 00:13:35,180 That which was the most precious to her, 328 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:37,500 she was willing to lay at His feet, 329 00:13:37,500 --> 00:13:40,240 in fact, pour out upon His feet. 330 00:13:41,740 --> 00:13:43,580 The next thing about this woman is she 331 00:13:43,580 --> 00:13:46,040 comes in brokenness. 332 00:13:46,420 --> 00:13:50,280 Verse 38, standing behind Him at His feet, 333 00:13:50,380 --> 00:13:50,660 weeping. 334 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:54,400 Or rather, let me divide that into two 335 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:54,860 categories. 336 00:13:55,380 --> 00:13:58,880 She came in humility, first of all, and 337 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:01,620 then she came in brokenness as well. 338 00:14:02,020 --> 00:14:03,120 She came in humility. 339 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:09,440 Notice her approach, standing behind Him at His 340 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:09,700 feet. 341 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:13,740 She does not come in to be in 342 00:14:13,740 --> 00:14:14,420 the limelight. 343 00:14:14,940 --> 00:14:16,680 She doesn't come in wanting the spotlight. 344 00:14:16,980 --> 00:14:18,680 She doesn't want this to be the center 345 00:14:18,680 --> 00:14:19,240 of attention. 346 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:21,780 She doesn't come in, and I imagine that 347 00:14:21,780 --> 00:14:24,080 room was filled with at least the 12 348 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:27,000 disciples and maybe other people that the Pharisee 349 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:27,500 had invited. 350 00:14:28,340 --> 00:14:29,900 And she doesn't say, just a minute, just 351 00:14:29,900 --> 00:14:31,160 a minute, everybody look this way. 352 00:14:31,220 --> 00:14:32,360 Could I have your attention, please? 353 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:34,560 I'm about to do something that is almost 354 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:35,260 unprecedented. 355 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:36,440 Here's a year's salary. 356 00:14:36,580 --> 00:14:39,000 I mean, here's $100,000, $200,000. 357 00:14:39,380 --> 00:14:41,520 I'm going to give this to the master, 358 00:14:41,780 --> 00:14:43,820 and I want everybody to see what I'm 359 00:14:43,820 --> 00:14:44,120 doing. 360 00:14:44,220 --> 00:14:44,380 No. 361 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:47,640 Instead, she sort of tiptoes in, and she 362 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:48,860 gets down behind Him. 363 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:52,360 That's important. 364 00:14:53,300 --> 00:14:56,040 You see, if the gospel really has taken 365 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:59,420 root, if you like, in your life, it 366 00:14:59,420 --> 00:15:01,880 should produce a humility in your life. 367 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:04,800 The Bible says, take my yoke upon you 368 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:05,580 and learn of me. 369 00:15:06,060 --> 00:15:07,180 Get to know me. 370 00:15:07,340 --> 00:15:08,820 Get to know who I am, what I'm 371 00:15:08,820 --> 00:15:11,560 like, my nature, my character, for I'm meek 372 00:15:11,560 --> 00:15:12,200 and I'm lonely. 373 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:15,400 Jesus was a humble man. 374 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:20,840 The word humble in the Latin is the 375 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:21,440 word humus. 376 00:15:22,460 --> 00:15:24,940 Those of you who know anything about horticulture, 377 00:15:25,620 --> 00:15:28,920 agriculture, know that the word humus is the 378 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:29,980 word for dirt, soil. 379 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:32,620 We talk about a person being down to 380 00:15:32,620 --> 00:15:32,980 earth. 381 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:34,680 In other words, he's real. 382 00:15:34,820 --> 00:15:36,200 You can sit with him, talk with him. 383 00:15:36,220 --> 00:15:38,400 You don't feel like he's looking down his 384 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:39,880 nose at you, that he's, you know, you're 385 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:41,160 almost wasting his time. 386 00:15:41,260 --> 00:15:42,260 He'd rather not be there. 387 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:44,360 He'd rather, you know, you're just sort of 388 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:45,080 tying him up. 389 00:15:45,340 --> 00:15:47,460 No, he wants to be there. 390 00:15:47,540 --> 00:15:48,140 He's friendly. 391 00:15:48,260 --> 00:15:48,760 He's open. 392 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:50,880 He's the sort of person you can just 393 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:51,560 talk to. 394 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:53,140 Jesus was that sort of an individual. 395 00:15:53,540 --> 00:15:55,200 That's why sinners flocked to Him. 396 00:15:57,860 --> 00:16:00,600 He was a friend of publicans and sinners. 397 00:16:01,020 --> 00:16:02,000 Not just friendly. 398 00:16:02,500 --> 00:16:04,180 We're taught to be friendly, but you can 399 00:16:04,180 --> 00:16:05,440 be friendly without being a friend. 400 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:07,720 You go into the bank and, you know, 401 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:09,020 if you've got any sort of cash in 402 00:16:09,020 --> 00:16:10,600 the bank and they know you, you know, 403 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:12,820 good morning, Mr. Brown, good morning, Mr. Cho, 404 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:14,360 you know, good to see you, and they're 405 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:16,000 very, very friendly, but they're not your friend. 406 00:16:16,940 --> 00:16:18,620 Jesus was not just friendly, he was a 407 00:16:18,620 --> 00:16:20,080 friend of publicans and sinners. 408 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:23,500 He was a humble man. 409 00:16:24,100 --> 00:16:26,620 He didn't go around, again, with a sense 410 00:16:26,620 --> 00:16:29,160 of, you know, elitism about him. 411 00:16:30,940 --> 00:16:35,400 And if we are to become like him, 412 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:38,540 there should be a humility in our own 413 00:16:38,540 --> 00:16:41,800 lives, standing behind him. 414 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,240 Are you prepared to let Jesus be the 415 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:46,640 one that is the center? 416 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:50,020 Are you prepared not to be in the 417 00:16:50,020 --> 00:16:52,640 limelight, the spotlight, where it's all about you, 418 00:16:53,020 --> 00:16:54,840 where, you know, you want your name to 419 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:55,500 be recognized? 420 00:16:57,400 --> 00:16:59,680 I don't think there's anything more repulsive to 421 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:00,980 the kingdom of God than that. 422 00:17:01,380 --> 00:17:03,119 And yet, we see it, don't we, so 423 00:17:03,119 --> 00:17:03,460 often? 424 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:06,579 It's all the way through the church world. 425 00:17:06,740 --> 00:17:09,520 Everybody has to have a title, apostle, prophet, 426 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:10,540 whatever it is. 427 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:12,880 You know, they walk in with their entourage, 428 00:17:13,020 --> 00:17:15,099 they walk in with their bodyguards. 429 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:17,740 Always puzzle me that some of these men 430 00:17:17,740 --> 00:17:19,140 are the ones that talk about the presence 431 00:17:19,140 --> 00:17:19,700 of God. 432 00:17:20,339 --> 00:17:22,020 I thought he was my shield and my 433 00:17:22,020 --> 00:17:22,380 butler. 434 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:24,599 I don't think you needed anybody else. 435 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:25,920 And yet, they walk in as though, you 436 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:28,020 know, God is a million miles away. 437 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:29,660 Never made sense to me. 438 00:17:30,620 --> 00:17:32,120 But they love the limelight. 439 00:17:32,220 --> 00:17:33,060 They love the spotlight. 440 00:17:33,940 --> 00:17:34,800 They love titles. 441 00:17:34,980 --> 00:17:35,900 They love recognition. 442 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:41,680 She comes and she stands behind him. 443 00:17:44,420 --> 00:17:48,300 The next thing about this woman, she came 444 00:17:48,300 --> 00:17:49,080 in brokenness. 445 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:52,360 She stood behind him weeping. 446 00:17:53,500 --> 00:17:55,900 I think initially, it was weeping because of 447 00:17:55,900 --> 00:17:56,580 her condition. 448 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:00,120 Weeping out of remorse, out of regret, out 449 00:18:00,120 --> 00:18:02,980 of sorrow, tears of repentance. 450 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:06,640 The Bible says, in His light, we will 451 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:07,260 see light. 452 00:18:08,140 --> 00:18:09,700 I can't imagine what it must have been 453 00:18:09,700 --> 00:18:13,160 like to be in her position again. 454 00:18:13,220 --> 00:18:15,380 A woman that had defiled herself over and 455 00:18:15,380 --> 00:18:16,420 over and over again. 456 00:18:16,500 --> 00:18:18,000 This body that was supposed to be the 457 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:19,180 temple of the Holy Ghost. 458 00:18:19,730 --> 00:18:21,680 And yet, it had been used for every 459 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:26,660 abomination, every conceivable act of immorality. 460 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:29,080 And yet, here she is in the presence 461 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:30,980 of the spotless Son of God. 462 00:18:31,060 --> 00:18:33,540 Remember, Peter on one occasion, he couldn't stand 463 00:18:33,540 --> 00:18:33,940 it anymore. 464 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:35,100 And he says, depart from me. 465 00:18:35,460 --> 00:18:37,040 I'm a sinful man, O Lord. 466 00:18:37,180 --> 00:18:39,240 I can't stand to be in your presence. 467 00:18:39,820 --> 00:18:41,620 The contrast is so great. 468 00:18:43,100 --> 00:18:44,960 And I can't imagine what it must have 469 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:47,320 been like as she knelt there. 470 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:49,480 And all of a sudden, the realization came 471 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:52,800 upon her, this man has never ever sinned. 472 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:55,200 This man has never lusted after a woman 473 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:55,680 like me. 474 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:58,160 This man has never raised his voice in 475 00:18:58,160 --> 00:18:58,400 anger. 476 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:01,040 This man is absolutely sinless. 477 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:04,120 And all of a sudden, she saw herself 478 00:19:04,120 --> 00:19:06,260 as she'd never seen herself before. 479 00:19:06,500 --> 00:19:08,020 And she begins to break. 480 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:11,520 She began to weep as she realized, I 481 00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:14,200 was created by God and for God. 482 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:16,700 And yet, I've done everything contrary to the 483 00:19:16,700 --> 00:19:17,480 ways of God. 484 00:19:17,540 --> 00:19:19,440 And the tears begin to stream down her 485 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:19,880 face. 486 00:19:20,380 --> 00:19:22,460 But I'm convinced that she was broken in 487 00:19:22,460 --> 00:19:24,460 the presence of God, that there was a 488 00:19:24,460 --> 00:19:25,600 washing going on. 489 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:28,180 That as her tears flowed down, that God 490 00:19:28,180 --> 00:19:30,020 was washing her on the inside. 491 00:19:30,780 --> 00:19:33,160 And I believe that she felt again that 492 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:35,640 sort of metamorphosis, that change, that transformation. 493 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:38,100 All of a sudden, she felt again, those 494 00:19:38,100 --> 00:19:39,260 chains fell off. 495 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:40,700 My heart was free. 496 00:19:41,260 --> 00:19:42,400 She felt clean. 497 00:19:43,360 --> 00:19:45,360 And all of a sudden, those tears then 498 00:19:45,360 --> 00:19:50,200 become tears now of gratitude, tears of joy, 499 00:19:50,420 --> 00:19:51,420 tears of relief. 500 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:55,260 And those tears are just flowing. 501 00:19:55,860 --> 00:19:57,580 You see, the Bible says, a broken and 502 00:19:57,580 --> 00:19:59,600 a contrite heart, God cannot refuse. 503 00:20:02,390 --> 00:20:05,410 You see, those are essential qualities to accepting 504 00:20:05,410 --> 00:20:06,090 Christ. 505 00:20:06,810 --> 00:20:07,990 He resists the proud. 506 00:20:08,290 --> 00:20:09,550 He gives grace to the humble. 507 00:20:10,330 --> 00:20:11,610 We need the grace of God. 508 00:20:11,690 --> 00:20:13,330 This woman needed the grace of God. 509 00:20:13,330 --> 00:20:16,410 That transforming grace, that grace that is greater 510 00:20:16,410 --> 00:20:17,390 than all our sin. 511 00:20:18,430 --> 00:20:20,230 That grace that can cleanse. 512 00:20:22,090 --> 00:20:24,110 Oh, not a grace that permits you to 513 00:20:24,110 --> 00:20:26,390 continue in sin, but a grace that has 514 00:20:26,390 --> 00:20:28,210 power to break the dominion of sin. 515 00:20:29,750 --> 00:20:31,870 That's what Paul said writing to the Romans. 516 00:20:32,770 --> 00:20:35,070 Sins shall no longer have dominion over you 517 00:20:35,070 --> 00:20:37,570 because you're not under law, you're under grace. 518 00:20:37,650 --> 00:20:39,550 In other words, grace has got a stronger 519 00:20:39,550 --> 00:20:42,110 power than the dominion of sin. 520 00:20:42,110 --> 00:20:43,530 Not a weaker power. 521 00:20:44,410 --> 00:20:47,390 Grace is God's empowering to break the power 522 00:20:47,390 --> 00:20:48,650 of sin over your life. 523 00:20:49,010 --> 00:20:51,190 But it comes as we humble ourself. 524 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:55,920 And then a broken and a contrite heart, 525 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:56,820 God cannot refuse. 526 00:20:57,980 --> 00:20:59,800 And so here, she understands. 527 00:20:59,940 --> 00:21:03,180 I don't know how well she understood, but 528 00:21:03,180 --> 00:21:05,700 certainly she is going through these motions. 529 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:07,040 They're genuine, they're real. 530 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:09,100 I'm sure she's not thought them out in 531 00:21:09,100 --> 00:21:10,220 theological terms. 532 00:21:10,820 --> 00:21:12,260 God has broken her heart. 533 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:16,580 And she stands there again ministering to the 534 00:21:16,580 --> 00:21:16,840 Lord. 535 00:21:18,910 --> 00:21:21,510 As those tears are flowing, she's washing his 536 00:21:21,510 --> 00:21:21,790 feet. 537 00:21:22,610 --> 00:21:24,350 You see, that also is the gospel. 538 00:21:24,510 --> 00:21:26,410 Jesus said, the spirit of the Lord is 539 00:21:26,410 --> 00:21:26,930 upon me. 540 00:21:27,530 --> 00:21:29,590 Not only to preach the gospel, but what? 541 00:21:29,650 --> 00:21:30,750 To heal the brokenhearted. 542 00:21:31,310 --> 00:21:33,470 To bring recovery of sight to the blind, 543 00:21:33,630 --> 00:21:35,650 to set free those who are downtrodden and 544 00:21:35,650 --> 00:21:35,990 so on. 545 00:21:36,250 --> 00:21:37,950 He's the only one that can put Humpty 546 00:21:37,950 --> 00:21:39,230 Dumpty back together again. 547 00:21:39,550 --> 00:21:41,170 He's the only one that can repair your 548 00:21:41,170 --> 00:21:42,530 life, restore your life. 549 00:21:42,990 --> 00:21:44,950 All the king's horses and all the king's 550 00:21:44,950 --> 00:21:45,930 men can't do it. 551 00:21:46,170 --> 00:21:48,550 The next thing about this woman is, she 552 00:21:48,550 --> 00:21:50,970 came willing to serve. 553 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:54,660 She began to wash his feet. 554 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:57,640 You see, when she entered that house, she 555 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:00,140 became aware of a need that had not 556 00:22:00,140 --> 00:22:00,740 been met. 557 00:22:03,260 --> 00:22:05,320 A job that nobody else was willing to 558 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:05,560 do. 559 00:22:05,740 --> 00:22:08,040 Everybody else, obviously, this is beneath me. 560 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:09,780 I'm not going to stoop to become a 561 00:22:09,780 --> 00:22:10,000 servant. 562 00:22:10,140 --> 00:22:12,240 I'm not going to stoop to wash feet. 563 00:22:12,340 --> 00:22:13,940 This was a job that nobody wanted. 564 00:22:14,420 --> 00:22:17,760 This was the most despised, despicable job in 565 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:20,180 the roster of events, if you like, that 566 00:22:20,180 --> 00:22:21,880 any slave could be involved in. 567 00:22:22,340 --> 00:22:24,260 After all, once you serve somebody for a 568 00:22:24,260 --> 00:22:25,900 certain amount of time, then you would, you 569 00:22:25,900 --> 00:22:27,920 know, graduate to a better position. 570 00:22:28,060 --> 00:22:30,040 But this was reserved for the lowest ranking 571 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:30,560 slave. 572 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:32,980 And it was to stand at the feet 573 00:22:32,980 --> 00:22:36,320 and wash, stand at the door, rather, and 574 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:37,260 wash people's feet. 575 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:40,700 We need to remind ourselves, they didn't arrive 576 00:22:40,700 --> 00:22:45,040 in Toyotas and Nissans and BMWs. 577 00:22:46,740 --> 00:22:49,060 Many of them walked those roads, those same 578 00:22:49,060 --> 00:22:51,140 roads that they drove their cattle along, and 579 00:22:51,140 --> 00:22:52,900 they drove their sheep along, and they drove 580 00:22:52,900 --> 00:22:55,880 their goats along, their horses and their mules 581 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:57,360 and their camels and so on. 582 00:22:57,900 --> 00:23:00,000 And it was almost impossible to walk those 583 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,840 roads without getting something on your feet. 584 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:05,680 And if it was raining, then the mud 585 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:07,580 and everything else, and it wasn't a job 586 00:23:07,580 --> 00:23:09,640 that anybody liked, it was smelly, it was 587 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:10,640 a terrible job. 588 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:12,740 And you had to kneel down, and the 589 00:23:12,740 --> 00:23:15,220 foot again was considered, you know, that part 590 00:23:15,220 --> 00:23:16,920 of the body that was despised. 591 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:20,120 And yet she saw a need. 592 00:23:20,300 --> 00:23:22,860 Jesus had not had His feet washed. 593 00:23:23,900 --> 00:23:25,960 And so she comes along and she takes 594 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:27,200 on the job of a servant. 595 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:29,440 That's the gospel, isn't it? 596 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:32,620 Jesus said, he that would be greatest among 597 00:23:32,620 --> 00:23:35,180 you, let him become servant of all. 598 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:37,780 If I, your master and your Lord, can 599 00:23:37,780 --> 00:23:41,220 wash feet, then you should be able to 600 00:23:41,220 --> 00:23:41,520 do it. 601 00:23:42,100 --> 00:23:43,280 You see, this is the gospel. 602 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:45,340 That's why Jesus said, wherever you go in 603 00:23:45,340 --> 00:23:48,600 all the world, tell them about this story, 604 00:23:48,780 --> 00:23:52,360 because it epitomizes, if you like, the gospel. 605 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:54,880 He said to the woman, your faith has 606 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:55,960 saved you, go in peace. 607 00:23:57,640 --> 00:23:59,220 This woman came in faith. 608 00:24:00,060 --> 00:24:01,680 Faith is so important to God. 609 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:03,520 Faith is that trigger, if you like, that 610 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:04,660 activates everything. 611 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:05,620 Isn't that right? 612 00:24:06,740 --> 00:24:09,000 Without faith, it's impossible to please Him. 613 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:12,300 He that cometh to God must believe that 614 00:24:12,300 --> 00:24:13,860 He is, and that He is a rewarder, 615 00:24:14,300 --> 00:24:16,080 that His word is true, we've got to 616 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:17,140 take Him at His word. 617 00:24:17,740 --> 00:24:19,760 And faith reaches out and says, God, I 618 00:24:19,760 --> 00:24:20,420 believe. 619 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:21,700 I believe. 620 00:24:22,580 --> 00:24:26,860 She came believing that somebody like herself, again, 621 00:24:26,980 --> 00:24:30,260 so defiled, so broken, so full of shame, 622 00:24:30,940 --> 00:24:33,860 could know what it is to be cleansed 623 00:24:33,860 --> 00:24:34,600 and made whole. 624 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:37,420 And so she reaches out in faith, and 625 00:24:37,420 --> 00:24:39,120 Jesus said, your faith has saved you. 626 00:24:40,420 --> 00:24:41,540 Go in peace. 627 00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:44,360 Before that, He says in verse 48, your 628 00:24:44,360 --> 00:24:49,300 sins have been forgiven, the forgiveness of sin. 629 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:53,240 The next thing about this woman, or the 630 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:56,840 last thing, she came in worship. 631 00:25:00,940 --> 00:25:05,940 Notice that Jesus has to address the Pharisee, 632 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:09,840 because He is extremely upset with what is 633 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:10,420 going on. 634 00:25:11,980 --> 00:25:13,680 And in fact, when He walks into the 635 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:15,320 room, maybe He was in the kitchen when 636 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:16,680 Jesus arrived, I don't know. 637 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:19,960 And when He emerges the next time, here 638 00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:23,280 is a woman washing His feet, and He's 639 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:25,020 upset to say the least. 640 00:25:25,100 --> 00:25:28,320 And He says to Himself this, if this 641 00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:31,520 man were really a prophet, He would know 642 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:32,860 what sort of a woman this is. 643 00:25:34,420 --> 00:25:38,780 And that's Simon's, I've misjudged this man, I 644 00:25:38,780 --> 00:25:39,700 thought he was a prophet. 645 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:42,860 And Jesus has to defend this woman. 646 00:25:42,860 --> 00:25:44,440 He says, Simon, when I came into your 647 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:47,280 house, you weren't standing there to greet Me. 648 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:49,500 Nobody was there washing My feet. 649 00:25:50,060 --> 00:25:51,980 But this woman has not only washed My 650 00:25:51,980 --> 00:25:53,900 feet, but she has not ceased to kiss 651 00:25:53,900 --> 00:25:54,420 My feet. 652 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:58,180 You see, you only kiss people that you're 653 00:25:58,180 --> 00:25:58,700 in love with. 654 00:26:01,360 --> 00:26:03,840 And she is kissing and kissing and kissing, 655 00:26:03,980 --> 00:26:05,720 she just can't kiss Him enough. 656 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:09,080 Why is she so full of gratitude, so 657 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:10,140 full of love? 658 00:26:10,220 --> 00:26:11,620 It's just flowing out of her. 659 00:26:13,380 --> 00:26:14,500 That's the gospel, isn't it? 660 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:16,920 It should bring us into that love relationship. 661 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:21,180 Jesus Christ should become more valuable, if you 662 00:26:21,180 --> 00:26:23,620 like, more precious to us than anybody else 663 00:26:23,620 --> 00:26:24,600 in the whole world. 664 00:26:25,140 --> 00:26:27,020 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and 665 00:26:27,020 --> 00:26:28,720 Him only shalt thou serve. 666 00:26:29,140 --> 00:26:31,620 It's the one great ministry that after all 667 00:26:31,620 --> 00:26:34,320 the evangelism, church planning, everything else is done 668 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:37,500 and over with, we'll spend the eternity worshiping 669 00:26:37,500 --> 00:26:38,200 the Lamb of God. 670 00:26:39,580 --> 00:26:40,660 Why not begin now? 671 00:26:40,780 --> 00:26:42,420 Kiss the Son, the Bible says, lest He 672 00:26:42,420 --> 00:26:42,860 be angry. 673 00:26:44,340 --> 00:26:46,540 And here she comes and she begins to 674 00:26:46,540 --> 00:26:48,820 kiss Him, but not only that, she takes 675 00:26:48,820 --> 00:26:49,260 her hair. 676 00:26:50,980 --> 00:26:52,880 And a woman's hair is her glory, the 677 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:53,500 Bible says. 678 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:56,060 And she is prepared to take her hair 679 00:26:56,060 --> 00:26:57,780 and let that hair down and use it 680 00:26:57,780 --> 00:26:58,380 as a towel. 681 00:26:59,500 --> 00:27:01,840 You see, a true worshiper does not glory 682 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:05,940 in who they are, but they give God 683 00:27:05,940 --> 00:27:06,420 the glory. 684 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:09,960 You're prepared to give Him the glory, to 685 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:13,240 go through life without any name recognition, to 686 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:16,300 go through life without maybe making it into 687 00:27:16,300 --> 00:27:19,340 some list and say, Lord, I'm doing it 688 00:27:19,340 --> 00:27:22,000 for You, whether I'm recognized or not, I 689 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:23,840 know one day in eternity I will be. 690 00:27:24,700 --> 00:27:27,160 This woman isn't concerned about any of that. 691 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:29,820 She takes her glory and she begins to 692 00:27:29,820 --> 00:27:32,620 wash His feet, begins to wipe them with 693 00:27:32,620 --> 00:27:33,520 the hair of her head. 694 00:27:33,780 --> 00:27:34,620 But you know what? 695 00:27:34,660 --> 00:27:36,460 When she left that building, she took with 696 00:27:36,460 --> 00:27:38,160 her that aroma of that spikenard. 697 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:41,280 People knew that she'd been with Jesus. 698 00:27:42,580 --> 00:27:44,280 Isn't that the wonderful thing that when we 699 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:47,180 spend time in His presence, people know, listen, 700 00:27:47,280 --> 00:27:48,360 I know who you've been with. 701 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:49,100 There's a fragrance. 702 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:51,520 You carry the fragrance of Jesus. 703 00:27:54,220 --> 00:27:55,960 You've been listening to the From the Pulpit 704 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:57,060 in Classic Sermons series. 705 00:27:57,360 --> 00:27:59,600 This week you heard David Ravenhill with his 706 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:00,780 message, The True Gospel. 707 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:03,320 Tune in next week to hear George Verber 708 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:05,620 speak with part one of his message on 709 00:28:05,620 --> 00:28:08,600 discipline on From the Pulpit in Classic Sermons.