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This Week's Sermons
It's Ok to Be Extravagant
John 12:1-11
John 12: A few years ago there was a true story about a man in New York City who was kidnapped. His kidnappers called his wife and asked for $100,000 ransom. She talked them down to $30,000.
The story had a happy ending: the man returned home unharmed, the money was recovered, and the kidnappers were caught and sent to jail. But, don't you wonder what happened when the man got home and found that his wife got him back for a discount? Calvin Trillin was the writer of this story. He imagined out loud what the negotiations must have been like: "$100,000 for that old guy? You have got to be crazy. Just look at him! Look at that gut! You want $100,000 for that? You've got to be kidding. Give me a break here. $30,000 is my top offer." Mark Trotter concluded his rendition of the story with this thoughtful comment: "I suppose there are some here this morning who can identify with the wife in that story, but for some reason I find myself identifying with the husband. I'd like to think if I were in a similar situation, there would be people who would spare no expense to get me back. They wouldn't haggle over the price. They wouldn't say, 'Well, let me think about it.' I like to think that they would say, 'We'll do anything for you.'"
The point of that story is this: sometimes it's O.K. to be extravagant! Now, that is precisely what this story in the Gospel of Mark is all about. Remember the story with me. Jesus is on His way to the cross. It is just a few days before Passover. The chief priests and scribes are plotting against Him. Judas is about ready to betray Him. The crucifixion is less than a week away and Jesus knows it. Jesus and His disciples stop at Bethany. just a few days before, Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead there in Bethany. Now, as they are having dinner, a woman comes to Jesus and does a beautiful but extravagant thing for our Lord. The Gospel of John tells us that the woman was Mary, (the sister of Martha and Lazarus). Mary brings an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment. She breaks open the jar and pours the costly perfumed oil on Jesus' head. She anoints His head with oil.
Why did she do that? Some say it was an act of gratitude in which she was thanking Jesus for raising her brother Lazarus from the dead. Some say it was an act of consecration in which she was baptizing Jesus to encourage Him to go into the Holy City and do what had to be done. Others say it was a foreshadowing, an act of preparation, in which she was anointing His body for the death which was to come in Jerusalem a few days later. All say it was an act of love and kindness.
But Judas said it was a waste. If you lived strictly by the Judas mind-set, you would have no Spire on the church, no flowers on the altar, no art on the wall, no robes for the choir, no fine organ, no beautiful weddings. Your daughter would come to you and say, "I'm in love and I'm so happy. I want to get married." And you would say, "Well, why don't you just elope? It's much cheaper. It would be wasteful to have a wedding." But the Mary mind-set says, "Sometimes in the name of love and kindness and gratefulness; it's O.K. Indeed, it's beautiful to be extravagant." Let me show you what I mean.
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This Week's Sermons
It's Ok to Be Extravagant
John 12:1-11
John 12: A few years ago there was a true story about a man in New York City who was kidnapped. His kidnappers called his wife and asked for $100,000 ransom. She talked them down to $30,000.
The story had a happy ending: the man returned home unharmed, the money was recovered, and the kidnappers were caught and sent to jail. But, don't you wonder what happened when the man got home and found that his wife got him back for a discount? Calvin Trillin was the writer of this story. He imagined out loud what the negotiations must have been like: "$100,000 for that old guy? You have got to be crazy. Just look at him! Look at that gut! You want $100,000 for that? You've got to be kidding. Give me a break here. $30,000 is my top offer." Mark Trotter concluded his rendition of the story with this thoughtful comment: "I suppose there are some here this morning who can identify with the wife in that story, but for some reason I find myself identifying with the husband. I'd like to think if I were in a similar situation, there would be people who would spare no expense to get me back. They wouldn't haggle over the price. They wouldn't say, 'Well, let me think about it.' I like to think that they would say, 'We'll do anything for you.'"
The point of that story is this: sometimes it's O.K. to be extravagant! Now, that is precisely what this story in the Gospel of Mark is all about. Remember the story with me. Jesus is on His way to the cross. It is just a few days before Passover. The chief priests and scribes are plotting against Him. Judas is about ready to betray Him. The crucifixion is less than a week away and Jesus knows it. Jesus and His disciples stop at Bethany. just a few days before, Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead there in Bethany. Now, as they are having dinner, a woman comes to Jesus and does a beautiful but extravagant thing for our Lord. The Gospel of John tells us that the woman was Mary, (the sister of Martha and Lazarus). Mary brings an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment. She breaks open the jar and pours the costly perfumed oil on Jesus' head. She anoints His head with oil.
Why did she do that? Some say it was an act of gratitude in which she was thanking Jesus for raising her brother Lazarus from the dead. Some say it was an act of consecration in which she was baptizing Jesus to encourage Him to go into the Holy City and do what had to be done. Others say it was a foreshadowing, an act of preparation, in which she was anointing His body for the death which was to come in Jerusalem a few days later. All say it was an act of love and kindness.
But Judas said it was a waste. If you lived strictly by the Judas mind-set, you would have no Spire on the church, no flowers on the altar, no art on the wall, no robes for the choir, no fine organ, no beautiful weddings. Your daughter would come to you and say, "I'm in love and I'm so happy. I want to get married." And you would say, "Well, why don't you just elope? It's much cheaper. It would be wasteful to have a wedding." But the Mary mind-set says, "Sometimes in the name of love and kindness and gratefulness; it's O.K. Indeed, it's beautiful to be extravagant." Let me show you what I mean.
- First Of All, It's OK To Be Extravagant In Our Generosity.
- Second, It's OK To Be Extravagant In Our Gratitude.
- Third And Finally, It's OK To Be Extravagant In Our Graciousness.
The rest of this sermon, following the outline above, can be obtained by joining Sermons.com. When you sign up you will get immediate access.
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SERMONS.COM
Leonard Sweet's Sermon
Abysmal Heights
Philippians 3:4b-14
Sometime in life we have all had to endure a "know it all."
Maybe it was that annoying kid in class who read the dictionary for fun and whose hand was always waving wildly in the air while claiming "Oh, I know, I know."
Know-it-alls plague us later in life as well.
The co-worker who always has a "better way" to do things.
The naysayer who "just knows" that your new idea is doomed to failure.
The clueless who claim they "know" just how you feel.
The powerful who "know" what is best for the powerless.
The relative who is the resident know-it-all of the family.
The claim of "knowing it all," of having "absolute knowledge" guarantees the same results as "absolute power" . . . absolute disaster.
In the first few centuries after Christ, there were lots of different religious practices based on special, secret knowledge. Among Greek and Roman religious cults, Judaism, and certain early Christian communities, being privy to special "gnosis," or "knowledge," created "insiders" and "outsiders." There were those "in the know" and those left out in the dark.
We still have lots of secret societies or what one might even call "gnostic" tendencies today. Did anyone here join a fraternity or sorority in college? Remember all the crazy initiation rites you had to go through? Remember how you were sworn to secrecy from that time forward?
We all are seduced by gnosticism. Author Dan Brown ("The Da Vinci Code," "The Lost Symbol") has made a fortune remaking and "revealing" secret "gnosis" that allegedly drove factions within the Catholic Church and the Brotherhood of Freemasons. Or how about a secret language, Latin for Christians, Hebrew for Jews, that kept praises, proclamations, and prayers secret, unintelligible to the untutored or the uninitiated. Or how about this: can any but those with insider knowledge understand "military-speak" or "legalese" or "academese?"
In today's epistle text Paul takes the first century love of secret "gnosis" and turns it upside down. All the impressive elements that had made Paul one of the most "in the know" religious know-it-alls within Judaism . . . a "Hebrew among Hebrews," a Pharisee, a zealous, blameless defender of the faith . . . all those great achievements Paul suddenly declares as "loss," as absolute "excrement." Paul put a big, fat, minus sign in front of all that had been previously seen as positive in his life.
What replaces all these human achievements? One thing: "the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord" (v.8).
What is this "knowing" Paul had experienced?...
The rest of Leonard Sweet's Sermon and all his sermon resources can be obtained by joining Sermons.com. When you sign up you will get immediate access.
CLICK HERE to join Sermons.com today.
Or, sign up by calling toll free anytime (including weekends) 1-800-777-7731.
Leonard Sweet's Sermon
Abysmal Heights
Philippians 3:4b-14
Sometime in life we have all had to endure a "know it all."
Maybe it was that annoying kid in class who read the dictionary for fun and whose hand was always waving wildly in the air while claiming "Oh, I know, I know."
Know-it-alls plague us later in life as well.
The co-worker who always has a "better way" to do things.
The naysayer who "just knows" that your new idea is doomed to failure.
The clueless who claim they "know" just how you feel.
The powerful who "know" what is best for the powerless.
The relative who is the resident know-it-all of the family.
The claim of "knowing it all," of having "absolute knowledge" guarantees the same results as "absolute power" . . . absolute disaster.
In the first few centuries after Christ, there were lots of different religious practices based on special, secret knowledge. Among Greek and Roman religious cults, Judaism, and certain early Christian communities, being privy to special "gnosis," or "knowledge," created "insiders" and "outsiders." There were those "in the know" and those left out in the dark.
We still have lots of secret societies or what one might even call "gnostic" tendencies today. Did anyone here join a fraternity or sorority in college? Remember all the crazy initiation rites you had to go through? Remember how you were sworn to secrecy from that time forward?
We all are seduced by gnosticism. Author Dan Brown ("The Da Vinci Code," "The Lost Symbol") has made a fortune remaking and "revealing" secret "gnosis" that allegedly drove factions within the Catholic Church and the Brotherhood of Freemasons. Or how about a secret language, Latin for Christians, Hebrew for Jews, that kept praises, proclamations, and prayers secret, unintelligible to the untutored or the uninitiated. Or how about this: can any but those with insider knowledge understand "military-speak" or "legalese" or "academese?"
In today's epistle text Paul takes the first century love of secret "gnosis" and turns it upside down. All the impressive elements that had made Paul one of the most "in the know" religious know-it-alls within Judaism . . . a "Hebrew among Hebrews," a Pharisee, a zealous, blameless defender of the faith . . . all those great achievements Paul suddenly declares as "loss," as absolute "excrement." Paul put a big, fat, minus sign in front of all that had been previously seen as positive in his life.
What replaces all these human achievements? One thing: "the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord" (v.8).
What is this "knowing" Paul had experienced?...
The rest of Leonard Sweet's Sermon and all his sermon resources can be obtained by joining Sermons.com. When you sign up you will get immediate access.
CLICK HERE to join Sermons.com today.
Or, sign up by calling toll free anytime (including weekends) 1-800-777-7731.
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Ash Wednesday is February 17th this year, just a few weeks away. Sermons.com offers four new sermon series for Lent. When you sign up you will receive access to all Twenty-three Sermon Series for Lent, plus membership to Sermons.com for a full year which offers thousands of sermons and illustrations. Our additional resources include children's sermons, worship aids, dramas, PowerPoint templates, and videos, all designed to aid in preparation of your sermon and worship services.
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Lenten: The Glory of It All
Donald Charles Lacy
King Duncan
Frank Ramirez
Richard Gribble, CSC
David E. Leininger
James W. Moore
Brett Blair
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You will have access to our entire database for 12 months including 23 series for Lent, plus many additional sermons and illustrations for Lent and Easter.
Ash Wednesday is February 17th this year, just a few weeks away. Sermons.com offers four new sermon series for Lent. When you sign up you will receive access to all Twenty-three Sermon Series for Lent, plus membership to Sermons.com for a full year which offers thousands of sermons and illustrations. Our additional resources include children's sermons, worship aids, dramas, PowerPoint templates, and videos, all designed to aid in preparation of your sermon and worship services.
Click here to Join: https://www.sermons.com/joinNow.asp
Lenten: The Glory of It All
Donald Charles Lacy
- The Hard Sell -Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
- Testing Time - Luke 4:1-13
- No Intimidation - Luke 13:31-35
- More Time - Luke 13:1-9
- The Two Prodigals - Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
- Holy Extravagance - John 12:1-8
- History Hangs in the Balance - Luke 23:1-49
- A Frightening Friday - John 18:1-19:42
- Mary Magdalene's Day - John 20:1-18
King Duncan
- Daddy, Tell Me a Story - Deuteronomy 26:4-10
- Count the Stars - Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18
- Like a Venomous Snake - 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
- A Word to Prodigals - Luke 15:1-3, 16-32
- Unstoppable Determination - Philippians 3:6-14
- Your King Comes - Luke 19:28-40
- He Could Have Called Ten Thousand Angels - Luke 23:1-49
- Christ Arose - John 20:1-9
Frank Ramirez
- Ashes and Bugs - Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
- What's in a Name? - Deuteronomy 26:1-11
- Abraham Believed God - Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
- He Will Abundantly Pardon - Isaiah 55:1-13
- Gateway to Grace - Joshua 5:9-12
- Past, Present, Future - Isaiah 43:16-21
- Essentials - Isaiah 50:4-9a
- Priceless - Isaiah 52:13-53:12
- The Easter Era - Acts 10:34-43
Richard Gribble, CSC
- Triumphing over Obstacles - 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10
- Building God's Kingdom: The Christian Challenge - Romans 10:8b-13
- Standing Tall in the Lord - Philippians 3:17-4:1
- Minding the Store of Our Lives - 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
- Be Reconciled - To Christ and Others - 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
- All Is New in Christ - Philippians 3:4b-14
- Carrying the Burdens of Others - Philippians 2:5-11
- Sharing God's Love - Hebrews 10:16-25
- Repairing Our Lives - 1 Corinthians 15:19-26
David E. Leininger
- Lent - Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
- The Devil Made Me Do It - Matthew 4:1-11
- Nicodemus - John 3:1-15
- Excuses (Alternate Lent 2) - Luke 14:16-23
- Unexpected Evangelists - John 4:5-42
- Sight for Blind Eyes - John 9:
- The Grief Grinch - John 11:17-36
- Sometimes You've Got to Shout! - John 12:12-16
- The Imperatives of the Resurrection - Matthew 28:1-10
James W. Moore
- The Common People Heard Him Gladly - Mark 12:35-37
- Jesus and Andrew - John 1:35-42
- Jesus and Zacchaeus - Luke 19:1-10
- Jesus and Bartimaeus - Mark 10:46-52
- Jesus and Mary and Martha - Luke 10:38-42
- Jesus and Mary Magdalene - John 20:11-18
- When The Risen Christ Comes Looking For Us - John 21:15-19
Brett Blair
- His Triumphal Entry - Luke 19:28-40
- His Cleansing Of The Temple - Luke 19:45-48
- His Teachings - Luke 20:27-38
- His Last Supper - Luke 22:14-23
- His Trial - Luke 23:13-25
- His Death - Luke 23:33-43
- His Resurrection - John 20:1-18 or Luke 24:1-10
Sign-up today at: https://www.sermons.com/joinNow.asp or call 1-800-777-7731
You will have access to our entire database for 12 months including 23 series for Lent, plus many additional sermons and illustrations for Lent and Easter.
