My wife said to me this morning, where
are we sitting?
I said, I'm sitting on the front seat.
She said, you are?
I said, yes, it says the Pharisees love
the front seats in the synagogues.
Let's read from the Gospel recorded by Luke.
Chapter 7.
I've got the wrong chapter here.
Okay.
Chapter 7.
Sorry.
Verse 36.
And one of the Pharisees desired him that
he would eat with him.
And he went into the Pharisees' house and
sat down to meet.
And behold, a woman of the city, she
was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus
sat at meet in the Pharisees' house, brought
an alabaster box of ointment.
She stood behind his feet, weeping, and began
to wash his feet with tears.
And he wiped them with the hairs of
her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed
them with ointment.
Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him
saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This
man, if he were a prophet, would have
known who and what a woman this is.
But such was he, for she is a
sinner.
Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have
somewhat to say unto thee, and he said,
Master, say on.
There was a certain creditor which had two
debtors.
One owed him five hundred pence, and the
other owed him fifty.
Tell me therefore, which of them would love
him most?
Simon answered and said, I suppose that he
to whom he forgave most.
And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly
judged.
And he turned to the woman and said,
Simon, seest thou this woman?
Thou gavest me no water for my feet,
but she hath washed my feet with tears,
and wiped them with the hair of her
head.
Thou gavest me no kiss, but this woman,
since the time I came in, hath not
ceased to kiss me.
My head with oil, thou didst not anoint.
But this woman hath anointed my feet with
ointment.
Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins which
are many are forgiven, for she loveth much.
But to whom little is forgiven, the same
loveth little.
And he said unto her, Thy sins are
forgiven.
And they that sat at me with him
began to say within themselves, Who is this
that forgiveth sins also?
And he said to the woman, Thy faith
hath saved thee, go in peace.
This story is recorded by each of the
evangelists.
There are not four gospels.
There is one gospel told by four different
men.
And there are four different accents on this
story.
I think this is the most beautiful of
them.
But this is one link in a chain
of events which have rocked and shocked Jerusalem
for quite a period.
I understand that tornadoes are caused by hot
air meeting with cold air.
And there have been great disturbances in Jerusalem.
There had been a wave of hot air
from the Pharisees and the temple guard and
others.
And there had been a wave of cold
air from them, a wave of warm air
because there was jubilation.
But at last somebody had come, who really
cared for the sinners.
You could say on one hand there were
waves of jealousy and on the other hand
there were waves of joy.
And this event here records the great social
event of the year.
I guess everybody in Jerusalem knew by the
time this feast was to be held, at
least this woman had heard of it and
she sure was not on the guest list.
It's a wonderful thing that the only person
we know who went to the feast is
not on the guest list.
She gate crashed it.
I think this man Simon had a lot
of problems.
First of all he had very limited space
to put his guests.
And I figure that he made out a
list of guests and deleted one name and
put another one in.
And eventually he got the list just where
he wanted it.
And after he'd settled on the folk who
were coming then he had to settle on
the food.
After all if you were having Mr. Carter
to dinner today you wouldn't give him hamburger
and potato chips.
Well maybe you would by his rating right
now.
But normally you'd have a great big festivity,
you'd make a great big banquet.
And this I'm sure is exactly what this
man did.
He got the right folk there, he got
the right food, he got the right flowers,
he wanted a good aesthetic atmosphere.
And as the nursery rhyme says, everything in
the garden was lovely.
He got up that morning, if I read
his mind right, saying something like this.
This is going to be the greatest day
in my life.
A day I shall never, never want to
forget.
Whereas it became a day that he never,
never wanted to remember.
One of those lovely days that you've had
sometimes.
You know the first thing you do, you
put your foot on the floor under the
pin there.
And from that indication you're going to have
trouble the whole day through because the whole
day ended in chaos.
People are going to leave this banquet saying,
you know what I've never been to a
banquet.
The tables were loaded.
Oh no doubt there was wine because they
drank it in those days very much.
And I believe he thought people would go
from that banquet talking about his generosity.
Whereas they left it talking about his stupidity.
After all everything was in order and he
puts a guard there and says look through
the lattice and as soon as you see
some distinguished person let me know and they
came and according to custom.
They took the guest and kissed them on
either cheek and showed them to a slave
or a servant.
And the servant washed the feet of that
individual.
And they took them to the table and
they found just where they were to sit
and everything was going well.
When suddenly one of the servants said master
come here quickly.
And he had just been excited because the
mayor or the master or millionaires had just
come into the banquet.
And his ego was inflated.
And he felt great he thought boy I'm
establishing myself with society.
This is an epoch in the history of
Jerusalem.
After all he got a man there.
The reason for the uprising in Jerusalem, the
disturbance was what always happens when Jesus goes.
We say Jesus is the prince of peace.
Jesus is the prince of war.
Wherever Jesus goes there's trouble.
He goes into a family he breaks it
up.
I remember some society people used to come
to a church I parted in England.
They used to dance in Buckingham Palace.
They used to dance in the arms of
Dukes.
They used to go to the great social
gatherings in the queen's circle and royal circles
and Dukes and what have you got.
Like Brother Red there used to meet with
that bunch too.
But anyhow at least some of his friends.
And you know when these girls were not
saved everything was alright.
But once they got saved they became a
thorn in the side of their relatives.
She won't drink anymore.
She won't dance anymore.
She doesn't want to smoke anymore.
She won't play cards anymore.
What's wrong with her?
She thinks she's better than we are.
And immediately wherever Jesus goes you get trouble.
He came not to bring peace but a
sword.
He brings peace to us individually.
You see Jesus was having trouble here because
of the Pharisees.
And the Sadducees.
They were very much the same.
A little bit different theologically.
The Pharisees believed in the resurrection.
The Sadducees did not.
That's why they were Sadducees.
But he had trouble with them.
They were antagonistic to his theology.
And now they hear that this man Jesus.
The first thing they were troubled with the
man.
The second thing they were troubled with his
message.
The third thing they were troubled with his
miracles.
He'd arrived on the scene.
He didn't even have a headquarters on earth.
Well he did under a tree.
When he wasn't using it the foxes slept
there.
He didn't even have any stationery.
He didn't even have a broadcast.
He didn't even have an entertainment center for
Christians.
You wonder however he made it.
But anyhow.
He arrived on the scene with no social
backing.
No prestige.
He began his life with a bunch of
prostitutes.
How do you know?
Because he was baptized between thieves and prostitutes.
He ended up on the cross with them.
In the middle of life he's with them.
This woman did what she would never do
to a Pharisee.
She drew near to Jesus.
Because she'd heard somebody say.
This man received sinners.
I think that's one of the greatest titles
ever given to Jesus.
Though they never call it his title.
If ever you go to Ireland.
It's a great country.
It's a bit noisy at the moment.
But if you ever go to Ireland.
They sing a wonderful hymn there.
Sing it all and all again.
Christ receive us sinful men.
You know come to think of it.
He doesn't receive any other kind anyhow.
The only thing that will get you to
Jesus is you're a sinner.
A stinking rotten proud Pharisee.
Church member, deacon, pastor.
Or anything else.
But the only way to Jesus is that
we're sinners.
Now this woman daringly comes.
The guest had been arriving.
And the servant says.
Master you know that certain woman.
He says.
Yes if she comes turn the dogs on
her.
But master she's here.
Where?
I think Jesus came in at the back
door.
I think he came in the servants quarters.
I like the hymn.
It's on the sheet we didn't sing this
morning.
Or did we?
To that tune in England.
We used to sing a hymn.
My heart and voice I raise to spread
Messiah's praise.
The second stanza is.
A servant's form he wore.
And in his body bore our dreadful curse
on Calvary.
He like a victim stood and poured his.
Sacred blood to set us guilty captives free.
Jesus had no show.
No ostentation.
You can get an introduction like some of
the big boys get on TV and radio.
You know this is.
You got to introduce somebody.
He's got nothing.
So blow him up.
Jesus had no trumpeters going in front of
him.
As soon as he came there was trouble.
He was only that size.
Isn't it amazing that before he could walk
or talk.
Jesus broke a city in two.
When he was born they said.
Have you heard the news?
A king has been born.
And Herod was troubled and all Jerusalem with
him.
Because he was a new baby about that
size.
He separated men when he was.
When he was born.
He separated men on the cross.
One went to hell.
The other went to heaven.
He separated men while he lived.
This man received us sinners.
Others went away from him.
And Simon looked and he saw that woman
there.
He said in our language I blew it.
He's no prophet.
If he were a prophet he'd know that
she's a harlot.
She's this.
She's that.
She's the other.
And Jesus read his mind.
Matter of fact he can read yours right
now if it gives you any comfort.
Simon said I made a mess of it.
She.
Ah.
He's no prophet.
And Jesus gives him a little story.
He said Simon there were two men.
One owed five hundred pence.
The other owed fifty to the same man.
Which would rob him most if he had
his debts forgiven.
Oh well of course the man who has
the biggest debts.
You know that's why it's so difficult to
get some stuff he took.
People really say.
They've never realized how rotten they are.
If I learned anything the couple of years
I worked with Dave Wilkerson.
In his early days when he was struggling
there in New York.
We lived in that hell hole, that ghetto.
If I learned anything it was this.
That when those kids came out of a
horrible pit.
You didn't have to persuade them they were
sinners.
What they wanted to know is anybody big
enough to get me out of it.
Is an arm long enough and strong enough
to lift me.
He only had one quarrel with the apostle
Paul.
That was that he said he was the
chief of sinners.
And they said no I'm the chief of
sinners.
This woman knew she was a sinner.
I can imagine her at the door.
If you'd seen her you'd have seen her
dress going like that.
Her heart was beating that loudly.
And she said shall I really do it.
You know I don't really think that this
is an unpremeditated act.
But it's an unprecedented act.
She didn't copy anybody else.
We always copy what other folk are doing.
Let somebody stage a big show on TV.
And the guy changes and switches his format.
It must be glittering and glamorous.
He may not say anything.
But after all you're not supposed it's not
what's on the plate.
If you eat off a Limoges plate.
It's the fact that the plate was worth
$50.
Even if you had potato chips.
And today we serve things up glittering.
There's not much in them.
There's not much substance in them.
This woman runs to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Simon says he's no prophet.
And Jesus rebukes him on three counts.
What does he say to him.
In verse 45 pardon me.
In verse 44.
I entered into thine house.
Thou gavest me no water.
Verse 44.
Verse 45.
Thou gavest me no kiss.
Verse 46.
You gave me no oil.
You didn't anoint my hair.
He was so busy greeting everybody else.
That when the chief guest.
That he didn't understand anyhow.
He wanted him for social standing.
He wanted him because.
This Christ was a sensation.
All Jerusalem was.
Again I say it was in a state
of earthquake.
There were volumes of hatred.
There were volumes of praise.
There were great hurricanes of jealousy.
There were great hurricanes of joy.
People were stopping at street corners.
Saying you aren't so and so.
Yes.
But I've seen you begging at the wrong
side.
Well I don't beg anymore you see.
He touched me.
Boy they just sang that a lot better
than we sang it.
He touched me.
Oh he touched me.
This woman comes and Jesus says.
Simon I entered your house.
Thou gavest me no water.
Thou gavest me no oil.
Thou gavest me no kiss.
Thou gavest me no water.
This woman says if I ever get in
there.
I'm going to wash those feet with water.
Not on your life.
You mean to say I'm going to get
the holiest feet.
That ever walked the earth in my hands.
And wash them with water.
No.
She says I'm not wash them with water.
I wash them with my tears.
She should have stood in front of him.
She stood behind him.
Now she must have nearly broken her neck
doing it.
But you see love doesn't care what it
costs.
I don't know.
I can only guess that maybe Charles Wesley
got inspiration for one of his hymns out
of this.
When he said oh let me kiss thy
bleeding feet.
And bathe and wash them with my tears.
The story of thy love repeat in every
drooping sinners ears.
That all mankind with me may prove thy
sovereign everlasting love.
Wash his feet with water.
No.
She washed his feet with her tears.
She should have got a nice soft brand
new towel.
And she said no no no I'll never
wash those feet with water.
And I won't dry his feet with a
towel.
And she had lovely long hair.
And she pulled the pins out.
And that hair cascaded down.
When I think of this I think of
my sister.
She had long hair.
She couldn't sit on it.
Mother used to brush it.
She used to buy a special whale bone
brush.
And when she finished brushing it.
It was as shiny as though she had
put some of that shoe polish.
You shine yours with you know.
Whatever it is.
But mother used to brush it.
And that hair used to shine.
My mother used to say let you come
and feel it.
Isn't it lovely.
And I said it is.
When mother was there I felt it.
When she wasn't I pulled it.
But anyhow.
The fact was that I never read this
story without thinking of this stupendous fact.
Wash his feet with tears.
No wash them with water.
Dry his feet with a towel.
She took the hair of the head.
And took his feet in this.
Oh it must have felt gorgeous that lovely
hair.
You see in typology she laid her glory
at his feet.
A woman's glory is her hair.
Most of you are so worthy of having
it cut off.
But it doesn't alter the fact.
You know if you joined the old Pentecostal
church.
That real fiery Pentecostal church in freedom.
The church of Philadelphia.
If you went through the door with your
hair cut.
The deacon would write your name down.
You'd have to meet the church board during
the week.
And they'd say sister we don't understand why
your back's ridden so much.
Why do you want to copy the world.
Now that's a fact.
I don't know whether they still do it.
They did it until a few years ago.
We're not worldly are we.
No we don't drink smoke.
But you see this is where it's difficult
really.
God's always hitting the pride and particularly of
women.
Says you're not to wear ornaments.
You're certainly not to wear earrings.
And when you mention this people say.
Oh now listen listen.
You know you go watch this.
This is legalism.
Anything we don't like is either legalism or
bondage.
Have you noticed that.
Anything that irritates me gets against me.
Well I think for some particularly ladies.
Because women don't wear earrings.
Some clowns do but not many.
But I think this is where you take
up your cross.
It isn't being nailed just to a cross.
It's every day.
Somebody pointing a finger maybe in the office
and say.
She doesn't paint you see.
Say no Indians do.
The Indians go out you know they do.
And some of these clowns from in jazz
bands.
They paint up.
But as Christians.
The adornment is not external.
If it isn't internal.
What is good is getting painted like a
battleship.
If you haven't got beauty inside.
I wouldn't look twice at you with all
your makeup.
And I don't care if Avon does go
bankrupt.
But there you are.
The fact is that this woman took what
was her glory.
And she wiped his feet with the hair
of her head.
Can you imagine that bunch of folks sitting
there.
And looking and thinking to themselves.
What's this guy doing here.
Letting this woman make all the palaver.
She's weeping.
She's sobbing.
And spilling her hot tears on his feet.
And taking her hair down and wiping his
feet.
And then she produced an alabaster box of
ointment.
In John's account he says it was very
costly.
There are some details there that are very
beautiful.
It said that she took just one pound
of ointment.
And it cost three hundred pence.
Does it matter?
It may not to you.
But it does to me.
It matters enormously why.
Because you think she was saving this up
for a funeral.
Now if this Mary is the sister of
Lazarus.
Lazarus had been dead.
But she didn't love her brother enough to
spill a pound of ointment on his feet.
Which I guess is the way sisters go
anyhow.
I'm going to have a real first class
funeral.
Are you going to have one?
I mean it doesn't make much sense.
You can't see what's going on.
So why don't they bury you in the
jam jar or something.
I mean Billy Graham used to tell the
story of a man who was being buried.
He was a Texan.
And so they buried him in a solid
gold coffin.
And as they lowered him down.
One of the coloured brothers said.
As they lowered the casket.
One said to the other.
Boy what a casket.
And the other said.
Boy that's the way to live.
But don't we love the outward decoration.
The outward show.
This woman isn't doing this to be a
showpiece.
Nobody had ever done it before her.
She hadn't got a blueprint of somebody else's
sacrifice and devotion.
She'd been saying to herself over and over.
I would never go into the temple.
But I do know this.
Because I can remember hearing over and over
and over and over again.
My people always saying.
Well the Lord he is God.
And they're always quoting Isaiah 35.
That one day somebody's going to touch this
earth.
Who is God himself.
And when he comes.
He'll have all the power of omnipotence.
In other words.
Given back to him.
The last Adam.
Will be all the power that the first
Adam should have had.
And he had it.
Lost it.
And we'll know.
When the church has really got a super
Pentecost.
Because all the power that came to the
first Adam.
Will come to the last Adam.
What did he do?
Well when the youth come.
Isaiah 35 says.
The eyes of the blind shall be opened.
The ears of the deaf unstopped.
The lame shall leap at the heart.
The tongue of the dumb shall speak.
And he did everything the word of God
would say.
And so all Jerusalem is alive.
Why are we being gone to the synagogue.
And the temple.
And those old boys go through.
And they drow drow drow.
And say let's all quote the psalmist.
And quote backwards.
But there's no life.
There's no power.
There's no authority.
And Jesus comes.
And instead of being.
Giving a bit of dignity to the temple.
He does all his ministry in the street.
Never took an offering.
Isn't that a shame.
I think that inwardly this woman said to
herself.
I believe this now is really the son
of God.
And out of her overflowing heart.
She washed his feet with tears.
And wiped them with the hair of her
head.
And then she broke that costly.
One pound of alabaster.
Of ointment.
Spikenard.
Nard they call it for short.
But spikenard.
Remember it came in the life of Jesus.
Three times.
It came when he was obeyed.
They presented gifts of gold.
And frankincense and myrrh.
It came on the cross.
And it comes here.
Shall we say in the middle of his
ministry.
At least if not the middle of his
life.
The middle of his ministry.
She breaks the box of ointment.
Do you know what this woman was doing.
Do you know why she went.
Well I haven't read this anywhere.
My own conclusion is this.
She went there to do just one thing.
And that was to worship Jesus.
How do I know.
For two reasons.
Or three reasons.
One is she took a gift.
The second reason it was a very costly
gift.
And the third reason.
She never said a word to him.
Everybody in his brother these days wants a
ministry.
Are you suggesting this woman didn't have a
ministry.
I met prostitutes on the streets of New
York.
Young men and young women.
Jailbirds.
Bedeviled with every kind of sin you could
mention.
And if you permit me to say this.
Not be offensive.
When I said to one young man.
I said will you take a cup of
coffee.
Was down in the hall that we had
there in Greenwich Village.
And he said yes.
And I reached a cup of coffee and
a donut.
Excuse me.
And before I sat down he said this.
There was a certain man named Nicodemus.
The ruler of the Jews.
The same came to Jesus by night.
And said good master what must I do
to inherit eternal life.
And Jesus said unto him.
I said hold it, hold it.
You're ahead of me.
He said isn't that what you're going to
tell me.
I've heard Nicodemus from the top to the
bottom.
From east to west.
From north to south.
I've heard Nicodemus everywhere.
All I said you have a background.
At least a religious background.
And he almost spit in my face.
He said my dad's a missionary in Africa
chasing niggers.
So they won't go to hell.
And his own children are perishing.
Now that would send you back home not
to sleep wouldn't it.
You meet a gorgeous girl who says.
Well I've been prostituting for two years.
You see my mother is always so busy
in the church.
And she's here there and everywhere.
I've got no time for your ministry.
If all your ministry is to other kids.
Then you're on the going to the devil.
Timothy says let them first show piety at
home.
As I meditated this morning.
I wonder what would have happened if.
Mrs. Wesley had wanted a ministry like her
husband.
A woman came to Wesley one day.
And said do you believe in women ministers.
He said no.
She said well God has called me to
the ministry.
He said are you married.
Yes.
Have you a family.
Yes.
Children.
How many.
Seventeen.
Oh he said he's not only called you.
He's given you the congregation.
Mrs. Wesley had nineteen.
What would she be running off to meetings.
Wanting a ministry here and a ministry there.
We'd have missed two of the greatest brothers.
That the world ever saw.
You'll see a mark for them on the
walls of Westminster Abbey.
John who was the architect and the God
of Methodism.
Child whose hymns will be sung all over
the world this morning.
Love divine all love excelling.
Jesus lover of my soul.
If she hadn't nurtured them and nursed them.
And she educated them.
She didn't give them fairy stories to read
merely.
She took the word of God.
She took each child.
For an hour.
Each night.
Now all the nineteen weren't living at the
same time.
She lost a number.
Sure.
But each night they say.
And Charles would say it's my night tonight
mother.
Yes.
And for one hour.
She took that child and instructed it in
the things of God.
I'm glad she did.
You know what we've done.
We've taught Christian people to work.
And we've taught them to witness.
We have not taught them to worship.
Our only idea of ministry is wearing yourself
thin.
I believe you could win.
Listen and I mean this as God records
it in heaven.
And that's an awesome thing about preaching.
That as I preach this message God is
going to put it down.
On something more accurate than any tape recorder.
I believe you could win a hundred people
to Jesus Christ every day.
And still be a disappointment to him.
Why?
Because you haven't worshipped him.
Somewhere about in the seventeenth or a bit
further on maybe.
In Exodus.
Where God says you separate Aaron and his
sons.
To minister to me.
Not to you.
Not to minister to the people.
In the Old Testament economy a man could
be a soldier when he was 20.
Because then and now you don't need brains
to kill anybody.
So he could be a soldier at 20.
He could not be a priest until he
was 25.
He could not be a high priest until
he was 30.
Jesus.
Don't ask me why.
Ask Winky.
He's a better theologian.
But tell me this.
A priest could not be a high priest
until he was 30.
Jesus did not minister till he was 30.
John Baptist did not minister till he was
30.
Moses did not minister till he was 30.
The Apostle Paul was past 30.
I don't know why that cut off is
there at the age of 30.
But it's there nevertheless.
So in the old economy a man could
be a priest when he was 25.
He could not be a high priest.
Which meant he could not go into the
Holy of Holies.
The priest ministered to people in the outer
court.
He ministered to people.
God says.
Separate Aaron and his sons.
To minister not to the people.
To minister to me.
In the outer court there was daylight.
In the inner court there was a candlelight.
Seven brand candlestick.
In the Holy of Holies there was no
light at all.
Now how long do you think we'd have
to wait.
Let's come down here.
Let's forget about the backstreet Methodists.
And the half on fire Pentecostals.
And the others.
But anyhow.
Supposing we came every Lord's Day morning.
Here into this sanctuary.
Not very charming.
I don't see any stained glass windows.
I hope there won't be any in the
new place.
But supposing we waited till the glory of
God filled the temple.
Can you imagine the priest coming out of
the daylight.
Into the candlelight.
Into a black chamber.
Where there was no light at all.
Unless the glory of God came.
Now the glory of God doesn't come to
us.
So we clap and sing and shout.
I'm not saying it's wrong.
I'm saying it's a substitute.
For the deeper thing.
For the more powerful thing.
It could lead on to that.
You see.
Prayer is preoccupation with my needs.
Praise is preoccupation with my blessings.
Worship is preoccupation with God.
I don't know how many people call me
and ask me.
Where can I get Dr. Chaucer's books.
Or they say I'm reading this book of
Chaucer's and that.
Now if you want to go to a
real good school.
Apart from Agatha.
You read Chaucer's book.
First of all read his Pursuit of God.
And then after that read his 21 studies
on the Holy Spirit.
The knowledge of the Holy.
And that will do as much good as
a year at Bible school.
If you digest them that is.
And I like the things he wrote.
I like better the things he told me
personally in his office.
And one of the most staggering things was
this.
I went in one day and he said
Len latch the door.
He showed me a piece of rug.
It was about I guess not more than
40 inches by about 28.
And he said Len look at that rug.
I looked at it.
And I said I've seen your rug.
These are his exact words.
And I went to his office some mornings.
I call my secretary and say to her.
Put a notice on the door.
No interviews today.
You go home I can't dictate any letters
today.
And then he said what I think is
one of the most awesome things I've ever
heard.
And I've heard the greatest preachers in the
world in the last 60 years.
He said I get on that rug on
my belly.
At 8 o'clock in the morning.
And I worship the Lord Jesus the ascended
Christ.
At 8 in the morning.
And I'm still there at 11 or even
12 or even 1 o'clock.
Now that's awesome.
That a man with a vast intellect, these
acres of culture, a brilliant mind, a rich
relationship with God.
And he says I can lay on that
rug for 5, 4 or 5 hours.
And worship him and never say a word
of prayer.
And never say a word of praise.
Just worshiping him.
Gazing on his holiness.
Gazing on his majesty.
We can often concentrate.
Lord we thank you what we've done for
us.
You've blessed us this week and you've done
this for us this week.
Forget it, turn it the other way.
How often do you get there and say
Lord Jesus.
I'm singing with you now.
You were there before the stars were there.
Before the trees of the field clapped their
hands.
While the stars sang together.
To everlasting.
To everlasting thou art God.
Get some of those old majestic hymns say
of Wesley's.
He laid his glory by and wrapped him
in our clay.
Could you lay down on the floor for
even an hour without saying a word.
Most of us have gone to sleep.
Without putting in a word of request.
Told you I like to get hymns.
As a matter of fact you sell the
hymn book that he wrote here.
And everybody should have a copy of it.
It's in paperback, a good edition now.
What's it called?
Christian hymn.
Yeah Christian, thank you.
Christian book of mystical verse.
He puts Ter Stegen in there.
Adam Guion.
One that he liked most.
Best of all, Faber.
He said Len I just.
Oh I'll tell you what he said to
me too.
He said Len let everybody else do what
they like.
You and I will worship God face downwards.
I read this morning about Abraham.
God appeared to him.
And he fell on his face.
And then I turned into the.
Matthew.
I forget the chapter 20.
Somewhere around there.
Where it said that Mary.
And the Mary's went to the.
Went to the grave.
And they turned.
And as they came back.
Jesus met them in the way.
What did they do?
They shook hands with him.
No they didn't.
He said they fell on their faces.
And they seized him by the feet.
The most favored man that ever lived was
surely the twelve disciples.
And I think the most favored of all
was John.
And he heard that divine heartbeat.
He felt the throbbing for eternity.
And he knew and understood Jesus better than
anyone else.
Read the gospel of John.
Which as Dr. Kaufman says.
John was the Plato of the New Testament.
It's the most profound thing they'd ever written.
Most beautiful thing ever written.
And you remember that John was on the
Isle of Patmos.
And he had a revelation.
Of who?
Of Jesus.
What did he do?
Do you think he went up and said.
Well Jesus nice to see you again.
You know I was the most faithful of
all the twelve.
And I'm sure you know that I've.
Just about finished the best.
Recording of the gospel.
John listened to the divine heartbeat.
John used to sleep with him and eat
with him.
And walk with him and talk with him.
When he saw him in his risen glory.
He says I tell you his feet are
dead.
Some people have the idea.
When we get to heaven.
Through silly songs we've written.
We're going to rush up to Jesus.
And say hey buddy you know.
Boy it's great to see you.
I've been wanting to do this you know.
I remember when we were out with Campbell.
Or out with Agape or out with somebody.
Or the Salvation Army.
No no we're not going to do that.
I think this woman was awestruck with the
majesty of Jesus.
She suddenly realized who he was.
And what he was.
And when I see him.
He's not going to be the pathetic Christ.
With stained glass windows.
And what artists think.
His hair is as white as snow.
And his feet are like burnished brass.
And his face is like the sun in
spring.
Mary Antoinette was maybe the most beautiful woman
that ever lived.
She was a power behind the ruler of
France.
Who I forget who he was Louis XIV
or XV or somebody.
But anyhow she was a big shot.
She manipulated him.
She was 21 and she was the epitome
of beauty and majesty.
But one day she crossed up with the
king.
And he threw her in the Bastille.
Which is destroyed now.
She went into the Bastille knowing that in
the morning when the clock struck 7 or
8 she was to die.
When she went in she was gorgeous.
Had a gorgeous hair.
She had a face that didn't need any
makeup.
It looked like just beautiful enamel.
Flawless skin.
Beautiful feet.
They put her in the Bastille.
She never went to sleep.
She had the tolling of the bell of
Notre Dame.
When they went in the morning that 21
year old woman was a hundred and one.
A face that didn't have a mark at
a thousand.
It was pleated.
It had shrunken.
The color had gone.
Her hair turned as white as snow in
a night.
Why?
Because she was bedding the agony of laying
that lovely head on the guillotine that would
come down and chop it off.
I like the hymn that says.
Lo the tokens of his passion though in
glory still he bears.
White hair is a sign of purity.
It's a sign of antiquity.
It's a sign of suffering.
And John says I saw in his hair
was as white as snow.
His feet were like burnished brass.
His face like the sun in its strength.
His eyes were living coals of fire.
His voice as sound and majestic as roaring
water.
What did we sing this morning?
Oh I was going to have you sing
it.
You stole my thunder there.
Oh that with yonder sacred throng.
Listen are we going to wait till we
get there to fall at his feet?
Are we going to worship him to all
eternity?
Don't you think it's time we did a
bit of homework?
She somehow sanctifies this woman.
She says I don't care what they say.
It's a spank party.
They could take me and throw me out
of the door.
But I'm going to risk it anyhow.
It's a chance of a lifetime.
Exactly what you have.
You've only one life to live.
You say I have no box of spank
nards to take.
Are you sure?
Maybe your box of spank nards is your
pride.
Maybe it's a career.
Maybe you're itching for a pub.
She opened her lid.
She took the most costly thing that she
had.
And that's what worship demands.
It demands saying no friend I'm sorry I
can't come to dinner.
I haven't spent enough time with the Lord
today.
No friend I can't do this.
Because you see so many of us are
caught up in activity.
Activity is service and service and showmanship.
And I still reiterate that you could have
won a hundred people to Christ every day
of your life and disappoint the Lord Jesus.
Like the diplomat.
One of the ambassadors of the famous Napoleon
used to go around the world and everybody
went.
He bought a treasure to his wife.
And one day he bought a supremely beautiful
vase from the Orient.
And he said darling look at that.
She said I don't want that gift.
I want you.
You're always a way lovely.
She put her arms around and he said.
Like so many Frenchmen they said.
No I have someone else I love.
He said keep your gift.
Oh yes it may involve sacrifice.
It may involve leaving home.
But wait a minute.
And it may involve service to people who
are stinking and naturally wouldn't really want to
go to them.
But wait a minute.
When did you last get Jesus by the
feet and worship him and adore him and
pour out your gratitude and your love until
the angels wondered what on earth was going
on.
Oh the critic stood there and he said.
Well of course she's just an emotional woman.
Do you know how much that's worth.
We put price tags on everything don't we.
Do you know how much that ointment is
worth.
You see what the stupid woman has done.
She's wasted it.
One of them has wasted it.
I think you're getting a smell of it
even this morning.
How could she have wasted it.
He says the fragrance filled the room.
No no no no.
The fragrance not only filled the room.
The fragrance has filled the world ever since.
She took a box of ointment very precious.
And she broke it and put it on
his feet.
If she put it on herself it would
have lasted maybe an hour or two.
But it lasted.
I always get a lift preaching this message.
I preach it a few times.
A man said to me once.
I've heard one of your sermons four times.
You'd be amazed how many times I've heard
them.
And some of them don't give me a
lift.
But this always.
I get back more than I give out
if I give anything out.
You see first of all we want to
give.
But no no.
There was a purification in one sense.
You see nobody washed the dust of the
world off his feet.
They didn't wear holes.
And they got grip between their toes.
And the slave had to wash their feet.
That's why there was a slave at the
door who washed everybody's feet.
But she washed his feet with tears.
She wiped them with the hair of her
head.
She could have anointed.
She used tears instead of water.
She used a hair of her head instead
of a towel.
She could have done it the cheap way.
She could have put oil on his head.
That was cheap.
But she took ointment.
That was the best thing.
That was the most costly thing.
But wait a minute.
If she'd had it on her body when
she was dead it wouldn't have mattered too
much.
Or even when she was alive.
But you see here's to me the punchline
of the story is this.
That when she had washed his feet.
And wiped his feet.
And then poured the oil.
Apparently the ointment on his feet.
What did she do?
She wiped his feet again.
With the hair of her head.
Well do you get the point?
You don't.
Well what she poured out on him came
back on her.
It was a double.
It was a blessing to him.
But wherever she went that fragrance was there.
And he'd go past it.
Oh that's the most.
Like you say oh that's Chanel or that's
something else.
That's the most amazing.
The most aromatic.
Pungent.
Powerful.
Beautiful.
And she still cast the ointment in the
worst.
I wonder where that woman got that ointment.
She poured it out on him.
It came back on her.
That's why there's a twofold attitude in prayer.
One is pouring out.
Even if you use prayer to that degree.
And then there's a waiting until the dew
drops.
The dew falls.
And I remind you again.
Dew never falls on a windy morning.
God said he would be as the dew
unto Israel.
And the dew only drops when there is
stillness.
The old Quaker poet John Greenleaf Whittier wrote
that lovely hymn.
Dear Lord and master of mankind.
Forgive our foolish ways.
We ought to sing it every day.
We ought to sing that in the government.
Forgive our foolish ways.
But the last time it says drop thy
still dews of quietness.
Till all our striving cease.
Take from our souls the strain and stress.
And let our ordered lives confess the beauty
of thy peace.
Breathe through the heats of our desire.
Thy fullness and thy balm.
Let sense be dumb.
Let flesh retire.
Speak through the earthquake, the wind or the
fire.
Or the still small voice of calm.
All this old hymn, an old English hymn.
Frieda Hambry Allen wrote this.
It's beautiful.
Within the veil.
You know when you go into the secret
place.
The door not to be disturbed for two
hours.
And maybe you'll start off with prayer.
And maybe you'll enter into praise.
But you should finish up with adoration.
And worship.
And Frieda Hambry Allen says within the veil.
Be this beloved thy portion.
Within the secret of thy Lord to dwell.
Beholding him.
Until thy face his glory.
Thy life his love.
Thy lips his praise shall tell.
Within the veil.
For only as thou gazest upon the matchless
beauty of his face.
Canst thou become a living revelation.
Of his great heart of love.
His untold grace.
Within the veil.
His fragrance poured upon thee.
Like the woman poured the ointment.
Without the veil.
That fragrance shed abroad.
Within the veil.
His hand shall tune the music.
Which sounds on earth.
The praises of thy God.
Within the veil.
Thy spirit deeply anchored.
Thou walkest calm.
Above a world of strife.
Within the veil.
Thy soul with him united.
Shall live on earth.
The resurrection life.
She poured out the ointment.
This man must have felt pretty bad don't
you think.
Watching all this go on.
There's a table loaded with food.
I don't know that he ever took a
bite of food.
There's no record of it in any of
the stories.
Maybe he wasted a fortune on it.
Jesus wasn't wanting food.
He wanted worship.
God wants you to work yourself to death.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
What does it say?
Kill yourself, testify.
It says worship the Lord in the beauty
of holiness.
Do the other but don't do it.
Unless your soul is bathed in him.
Unless you're anchored deeply in him.
Unless the fragrance of God is on you.
Now I don't know that Jesus took a
spot of anything to eat.
Or drank anything.
I think maybe this man was saying you
know what.
I just about missed it and wasted everything.
I just wish Jesus could see it my
way.
You know I tried for about 20 years
to get God to see things my way.
And he wouldn't.
So I had to give up and see
things his way.
Jesus didn't want food.
How do you know?
Well I'll tell you what.
The devil, there's a lot of things you
could say about him.
But he's a grade A student you know.
He knows the answers.
He'll never ask you to do what you
can't do.
He'll never ask you to walk on water.
He said to Jesus.
Get some of those rocks and turn them
into bread.
He knew he could do it.
Look, if you want to know how valuable
worship really is.
The devil was prepared to give God the
whole world if he'd worshiped for five minutes.
Does that make you realize how valuable worship
is?
You just fall down once and say and
worship me.
And in fact in that would mean I'm
in subjection.
You're a lord, you're a master.
And if you just fall down and worship
me for five minutes I'll give you all
the kingdoms of the world.
And the devil, Jesus didn't say they're not
yours to give anyhow.
They were his in one sense to give.
He ruled governments to a certain degree.
And wicked systems.
And yet Satan so wanted worship that he
said I'll give you the world.
No you can't.
Jesus.
He said we're going to turn stones into
bread.
You say the last one miraculously didn't do
it.
Well I think he did it.
Where's the record?
Well one morning he called some disciples over
the sea and he said boys come and
eat.
We used to sing a hymn in the
old days.
Come and dine the master callers.
Come and dine.
There they met their hearts desire.
Bread and fish upon the fire.
Do you think Jesus went shopping for fish?
Do you think he knocked the baker up?
It wasn't daylight.
Do you think he knocked the baker up
at one o'clock and said hey could
you make a few hot buns right away?
Because I want to give my disciple boys
a treat.
Poor boys they're tired fishing and all that.
I think Jesus.
This isn't in any book.
It'll come up.
Winky's going to put it down.
But anyhow.
I think that he put some stones on
the floor and he just said become bread.
And they did.
And he said to the devil there I'll
do it when I want not when you
want.
That's the way to get victory.
You can do the right thing at the
wrong time but you never do the wrong
thing at the right time.
I think he made bread there just to
snub the devil and laugh at the devil.
But again there's no evidence that Jesus ever
took anything.
All the dignitaries are there.
I don't know the disciples and others were
there.
And yet a little unnamed woman is the
only one listed.
She's listed in millions and millions of copies
of the word of God.
I don't know what happened the week after.
Crowds of people were sobbing and saying and
they were pointing.
I think there was just one woman who
was really happy at the crucifixion.
It wasn't the mother of Jesus necessarily.
I think it was this Mary.
She looked at those feet.
They had a nail through them and blood
running off them.
And she said to think last week I
had those feet in my hands.
I'm glad I did it.
While the critics said what's she wasting money.
Jesus said she's done it against my burial.
The rough thing about this to me is
this.
That if you take the 26th chapter of
Matthew and you read the story again.
It puts another slant on it.
That to me is terrible.
Because it says that he went into the
house of Simon the leper.
Does that do anything for you?
You say he couldn't go into the house
of Simon the leper.
A man wasn't allowed in.
That's right.
There came a day when Simon went to
his wife and said.
Darling I've kept this away from you so
long I can't.
Oh she said you've got leprosy.
Don't use the towels.
Don't touch the children.
And he went to the temple and they
pronounced him unclean.
And he went to the gate of the
city and they pronounced him unclean.
And he lost citizenship.
And he lost fellowship.
And he lost every relationship.
And he went up the road begging and
crying.
I'm unclean.
And they'd throw him a coin he was
unclean.
Well what is he doing at home?
Well there's only one reason I know that
he's at home.
Is that one day he met Jesus.
And Jesus cleansed him because nobody else could
heal leprosy.
He runs back to the gate of the
city.
And they said we know you Simon.
You're a successful businessman.
You're a leper.
And he says well look.
Oh you've got flesh like a baby.
What beautiful hands.
And he ran to the temple.
And the priest said don't come and defile
God's house.
And he said I can't defile it.
Look at my hands.
And they said what beautiful hands.
And she looked through the lattice and said
Don't come near.
I know you want to see the Jewel.
Don't come near.
You're a leper.
And he said darling I'm no leper.
Oh what beautiful hands.
How did he get cleansed?
I don't know any other way.
There was no other way known to man
that a man could be healed of leprosy
except that Jesus healed him.
That's incredible.
If Jesus hadn't have healed him he'd still
be up there with bugs on him.
His flesh would be dropping off.
I've been in the leper colony and preached
to lepers.
I've seen men without ears.
Without cheeks.
A man you could see down his throat
because all the flesh was eaten off.
You could see his working.
And in that tropical atmosphere it stunk like
a manure heap.
In some of the greatest meetings I was
ever at people without fingers and pus running
off them because they had no medication were
clapping their hands and singing my Jesus I
love thee I know thou art mine.
They fancy quiet all dressed up and keep
diadems on doing their stuff on TV.
A man was a leper was cured and
he forgot to worship Jesus.
My God I say reverently how careless and
forgetful what ingratitude we could have.
He was a leper.
Well in case you forgot you're a leper
too.
Because in the Old Testament leprosy is a
type of sin.
There's no cure for it.
And one day Jesus went somebody said to
me don't shake hands with the leper but
I felt alright I'll take the risk and
I shook hands with that leper all his
stubby fingers.
And I said I love you and the
tears rolled down what cheeks he had and
the women there beautiful women with half a
cheek or ears off or noses off and
other things.
And you saw leprosy working.
Say if Jesus hadn't stopped you somewhere on
the road you wouldn't be getting a life
sentence.
Women you might have had three or four
we had girls in Teen Challenge how they
looked as though they'd left school with as
many as three illegitimate kids and they couldn't
tell you how many men they'd slept with
whether they were black or yellow or red
or black or white or what they wouldn't
know they'd just live that lousy life.
But I tell you one morning when we
went into the chapel and I and they
said but the raven is going to talk
this morning let's sing our
national anthem not the national anthem and they
stood up and they began to sing do
you know what they sang?
There were about 30 or 40 young women
on this side beautiful girls all clean now
prostitutes here not weekend prostitutes they were second
wives to some of your most famous film
stars and ball players and they were redeemed
and here were boys who were murdered and
raped and then every devilish thing amazing grace
how sweet the sound wow I was in
tears before we got to the first stanza
and so were they they knew the pitch
for which they'd been listening isn't it amazing
that sometimes come on let's be honest you're
so busy working for him you never touch
him during the day we're trying to say
Lord I serve you no I'm going to
bed dumb tired I can't even read my
Bible I'm too tired to pray well that's
not the way to go about it early
in the morning give him the dew of
the morning when your mind is fresh and
your body is fresh he forgot to kiss
Jesus he forgot to wash his feet he
forgot to anoint his head and I don't
really got another chance briefly that's not my
best word but let me say briefly somebody
said you say well finally well I learned
that from the apostle Paul in his epistle
he says finally he writes three more chapters
you expect me to be better than Paul
there's one story a little more mysterious to
me than this story it's the story of
the most favoured woman on earth there's a
new controversy on now it's in this present
edition of Christianity Today because the Pope the
new Pope this nice boy said recently that
he wants to restore veneration to the Virgin
Mary and now there's a discussion about it
we ought to honour her well I honour
her I call her the Blessed Virgin because
the scripture does but if you tell me
she's co-redemptrix I'll ask you why she
wasn't crucified with Jesus she's not co-redemptrix
with Jesus you can't pray to the Virgin
Mary it's a lie it's the biggest flaw
the devil ever put on the earth is
the Roman church well nobody said amen but
it's still true so let's go on this
woman privilege of all the women in the
world to bear the Son of God isn't
that something the heaven of heavens cannot contain
God and he was pressed into the matrix
of the Virgin Mary God contracted to a
stand incomprehensibly made that and there was a
big convention on and people like conventions so
Joseph and Mary decided they would go and
they went and they had a great time
met all the in-laws and out-laws
and enjoyed the great preaching enjoyed everything else
and then of course they had to go
home oh it was a majestic thing you
know when they went up to the temple
they sang the hymns the latter part of
the book of Psalms which is the Jewish
hymn book of course and the women went
first and the men went behind they were
doing what we sing they were marching to
Zion the beautiful city of God and the
women sang a verse and the men responded
and the women sang and the men responded
the women went first just in case the
brigands came down the hills to molest them
and destroy and so forth and they went
back the same except you see like little
streams joining up the congregation got big, big,
big when they were going but as soon
as they came out of Jerusalem the crowd
got less and less and they began to
filter off and at night Mary goes very
tired and her feet are aching and finally
she says excuse me have you seen my
husband have you seen Joseph was her husband
in the eyes of others oh yes there
he is that tall nice yes he said
I like your husband very much and she
said well where are we going to sleep
Joseph no holiday inns and all those trimmings
we have no black top rugs just dirt,
roughness, dust must have been something following a
million people run your teeth over it you
turn over your teeth you clean them there'll
be that much grit on your lips well
I don't know where we're staying darling but
I'll tell you what this is about the
hottest day and my feet are blistering she
says well mine are too you had a
bad day too did you get a drink
at the well no I didn't boy those
people were very sanctified yesterday very selfish today
they were elbowing at the well you couldn't
get a drink I haven't had a drink
since this morning I haven't and I'm tired
well how did Jesus get up oh Mary
come on don't fool I'm too tired you
know he's been with you all day with
me he's not been with me he's been
with you he hasn't been with me well
I thought he was you do you know
what it says they supposing he was in
the company that word supposing is used twice
in the New Testament when the woman went
to the garden and she heard somebody moving
and she supposed he was the gardener so
she supposed Jesus wasn't there when he was
there they supposed Jesus was there and he
wasn't there we suppose he's in the company
so what shall we do what do you
think she'd do she said something right I've
told him many times not to go off
here and there let's go to sleep Joseph
I suggest she cried herself to sleep that
night after all if you lost a 12
year old boy and there were so many
burglars and thieves and wild animals will you
go to sleep she cried herself to sleep
and they got back to Jerusalem and again
she cried herself to sleep they searched everywhere
and couldn't find him or maybe he's at
the pool of Siloam he likes to watch
the fish and they thought he wasn't there
maybe he's still down at the bazaar he'd
love to see those men selling flip flops
no he wasn't there and finally they said
well where can he be isn't it amazing
that they lost Jesus right after they'd been
to a great convention a great religious feast
we lose him sometimes because God speaks to
your heart there's blessing on your heart and
you go outside outside the sanctuary as a
theatre you've left or something and you talk
and talk and you dissipate the blessing God
put there there are times I think we
ought to walk home and just quietly not
even speak maybe husband and wife and just
get still and say Lord sink this deep
into my heart so I'll never need to
learn that lesson again and they searched and
they couldn't find him and finally they said
well we've searched the temple it was a
vast place and they couldn't find him and
then they said finally there's a room there
yes but only the chief rabbis and the
dignitaries go there we can't go there but
love gets desperate and maybe Joseph opened the
door and he said hey what was he
doing was he in the pulpit giving a
lecture on Daniel the left foot on Daniel's
image the middle toe this is the explanation
was he preaching prophecy no no no he
wasn't doing anything like that what was he
doing he was doing what any healthy 12
year old boy would do he was asking
questions and they run up again and say
don't you care about us well it sounds
like the men on the sea remember when
the boat lashed the boat they looked as
though they were I thought the disciples loved
him so much they'd have shaked him and
said master how are you going to drown
but they said don't you care that we
perish wasn't that lovely wonder they didn't say
he didn't say you stupid people I've taught
you a hundred lessons and you still think
of number one first care us thou not
that we perish hey what are you doing
is this your gratitude for us we've taught
you with tears we've been heartbroken and here
you are sitting in the temple asking questions
oh his answer was beautiful wasn't it but
he said well don't you think I should
be about my father's business I wonder if
that's the first time he testified I wonder
if that's the first moment he realised what
his mission on earth really was do you
think it was Ed you're not sure Tim
what do you think he doesn't know either
so that's very helpful thanks that I give
my contribution I'm not sure either but maybe
it had dawned on him maybe while he
was still in the sanctuary God had said
to him this is where it all begins
at twelve years of age and from there
for another twenty years he was locked up
in silence and locked up in stillness and
every great man it seems to me that
God has used here in the word of
God he had to be sent to an
isle of Patmos the greatest brain the world
ever had I think was the apostle Paul
after Jesus himself and he had three years
in the wilderness and John went to the
isle of Patmos and Moses learned in all
the wisdom of the Egyptians it says there
in the seventh chapter of the Acts of
the Apostles he was a scholar he was
brilliant how do you know because he was
learning all the wisdom of the Egyptians that's
why and it says he was mighty in
word it doesn't say he was an orator
because he stammered but he was mighty in
word he made laws before he got the
ten commandments and when he was brilliant and
cultured and armies bowed down to him and
everybody revered him God sliced his life after
all he lived in three forties first forty
years he lived he lived in the palace
as a king as a prince the second
forty years he was in the school of
silence and the third forty God took him
up at eighty years of age can you
find me a man that's come to spiritual
greatness and hasn't lived in isolation just one
thing I remember going in one day Dr.
Paul had got some books and he never
put them on shelves this way he stood
them up this way because he couldn't bother
to read them and I said to him
I remember I was in London last week
talking to Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones in Westminster
Chapel and he sent his greetings to you
and he said that your book The Pursuit
of God will be living when most modern
writing theological writing in America has perished and
he said Glenn he pointed like that his
office one thing I don't like about my
office it's too small my other office was
larger I feel it trumps me a bit
but anyhow you could almost do this in
Dr. Paul's office you couldn't touch the walls
it was so small but he looked at
it and he said Glenn that book The
Pursuit of God is the distilled wisdom that
God gave me for 25 years in this
office I've never been out of it you've
never what?
I've never had a vacation in 25 years
I've listened and listened and listened to God
and what God has taught me he said
I put it down there in that book
oh it is a good God thing when
they cheat oh yes I like to read
the book as a matter of fact I
play tapes going to work and have a
great time well that's alright but listen you
can play tapes from here to ends of
the earth it won't satisfy the Lord it
may satisfy you he wants you to worship
him in spirit and in truth he wants
you to put everything else out and it
will cost something she bought a small box
and I finish with this but I'll tell
you what she did she bought it while
he was living just before he died and
I'm glad it mentions that it was a
pound do you know why?
because after he died you'd have seen two
men going up a hill with a staff
and on it they had a great big
bag swinging and it had exactly 100 pounds
of that same ointment brought by Nicodemus someone
estimated it was worth more than a million
dollars he was going up to that costly
mausoleum or whatever you want to call it
where they were going to bury Jesus because
he made his grave with the rich in
his death too and these two men were
going up the hill with a 100 pound
weight of the same ointment that that woman
bought one pound of and do you know
what?
that one pound of ointment meant much more
to Jesus than the 100 pounds why?
because he was living when he got it
people have been shocked disgusted arguing with me
when I said look if you leave a
million dollars to a missionary group or a
gaffer leave it to a gaffer ok when
you die God won't give you 10 cents
for it at the judgment seat will he?
no hardly no well here's a rich man
let's say here he is in a lovely
casket and he's left a million dollars and
we're all glad he's left a million dollars
to a salvation army and a million to
David Wilson and a million to a gaffer
and just before I put the lid down
I want you all to come and look
at him and I want you to keep
one scripture in mind when you touch remember
he's left two million dollars for these three
distinctive groups now as you come and look
at him he's unarmed he's got a lovely
hundred thousand dollar suit or something with a
jewel around his neck just look at him
and as you look at him I want
you to remember this scripture the Lord love
us what?
a what?
he doesn't look too cheerful to me maybe
the change is in the amplifier I'd better
look I don't know whether they have or
not but the Lord love us a cheerful
giver that man would still have his million
dollars he didn't give it death took it
from him he met a bandage on the
road called death who said get out put
it out like a light one pound of
ointment while she was living Jesus said I've
got more out of this than all your
fancy show and all the celebrities here and
everything she has ministered them to me I
can feel her feet I can smell the
fragrance I can see the love she laid
of glory there she's got hold of the
whole thing because he said didn't he you
don't worship in Jerusalem we Christians don't have
to go to Rome we don't have to
go to Mecca the Irish called every day
we go to prayer we used to pray
there a lot and one man used to
call every time we prayed and we prayed
on earth there's no floor in the hut
just drops a shell in a field and
you melt in the grass melt in the
dirt and sometimes the water would run through
like that but he used to call the
same old thing where we seek thee thou
art found and every place is hallowed ground
the disappointed Christ thou gavest me no water
thou gavest me no oil thou gavest me
no case we need to ask him I
need to ask him and you need to
ask him how we may learn to worship
him in spirit and in truth