Matthew (Part 11)(BST 12-2-07)

Matthew (Part 11)
Bible Study Time 12-2-07

For the past few weeks we’ve been studying the book of Matthew. We have seen that Matthew presents Jesus as Israel’s Messiah, or as the Christ, which simply means the Anointed One. Matthew says that Jesus came as the Son of David and the Son of Abraham. We also see in Matthew that Jesus came as the Seed of the Woman who came to save His people from their sins.

Jesus went out preaching that people should repent of their sins and submit to God because the kingdom of heaven was at hand. Jesus healed the sick, cast our demons and raised the dead. He did these things to prove that He was the promised Messiah.

As time went on and more and more of the common people came to realize that Jesus was the Christ, the Jewish rulers realized that they would have to deal with Jesus to prevent any appearance of political unrest. In John, Chapter 11, we read that the High Priest said:

John 11:50 NKJV
50 . . . it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish."

These Jewish leaders were much more afraid of Rome than they were of God.

Shortly before Jesus was crucified, He entered Jerusalem to observe the Passover. He entered the city riding upon a donkey as the people shouted:

Matthew 21:9 NKJV
9 . . . "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'* Hosanna in the highest!"

Just before this triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus had been visiting His friends in Bethany and Matthew says that:

Matthew 26:6-7 NKJV
6 . . . when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper,
7 a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table.

But then Matthew says that when the disciples saw what this woman did:

Matthew 26:8-13 NKJV
8 . . . they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste?
9 For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor."
10 But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me.
11 For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always.
12 For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial.
13 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her."

In the Gospel of John, Chapter 12, we read that this was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who performed this act of worship. John says that:

John 12:1-8 NKJV
1 . . . six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was . . . whom (Jesus) had raised from the dead.
2 There they made (Jesus) a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.
3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said,
5 "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"
6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
7 But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.
8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."

From Mary’s actions, we see that she had a deep love for Jesus. The Bible Exposition Commentary says that at that time it would have required a year’s wages for a common laborer to purchase this ointment, and it says that:

In a sense, Mary was showing her devotion to Jesus before it was too late. She was “giving the roses” while He was yet alive, and not bringing them to the funeral! Her act of love and worship was public, spontaneous, sacrificial, lavish, personal and unembarrassed. Jesus called it “a good work” and both commended her and defended her.

As we read the gospels, we see Mary’s love and devotion to Jesus on several other occasions. In the Gospel of Luke, we read that at one point, rather early in Jesus’ ministry, Jesus went to Martha’s house. Luke says that Martha welcomed Jesus into her house but while Martha was serving her guests, Mary “sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.” Then Luke says that:

Luke 10:40-42 NKJV
40 . . . Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached (Jesus) and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

No doubt we all have to be reminded from time to time that life involves much more than just what we do or what we achieve. In fact, the real essence of life is found in what we feel. In fact, it is what we feel that determines what we do and what we are able to achieve.

We are born with a sin nature which is dominated by feelings of lust, jealousy and hatred. Jesus said that He came into the world to change all of that. He said, I have come that you might have life, and that you might have it more abundantly.

Jesus came to fill our hearts with feelings of love, peace and joy through the Holy Spirit of God. Galatians 5 says that:

Galatians 5:22-25 NKJV
22 . . . the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Jesus died to save our souls, to free us from the passions of the flesh, but also to fill us with a passion for the things of the Spirit of God.

Mary was passionate about the Lord Jesus. As she worshiped the Lord, she had no thought as to what it might cost her. She loved the Lord with all of her heart. Jesus said that Mary chose the good part. She chose to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to His words. Amos the Prophet once said:

Amos 8:11-12 NKJV
11 "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord GOD, "That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD.
12 They shall wander from sea to sea, And from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, But shall not find it.

How precious is the word of the Lord, but how often do we take it for granted. We get so busy doing things and accomplishing tasks, and we just assume that the word of God will always be preached as it is today. We just assume that the church down the road will always be there and that believers will always be able to meet together without fear of persecution. But beloved this is a false assumption.

We need to realize how precious the word of the Lord is, and we need to realize that it pleases the Lord when we love and cherish His word enough to come to Jesus and hear the word of the Lord proclaimed. Jesus said that where two are more are gathered together there I will be in your midst. When we gather to study the word of God, we are in a sense coming to sit at the feet of Jesus to hear Him speak.

It’s interesting that Martha was working very hard. In fact, she was working very hard to please the Lord, but she failed to see the value of the word of the Lord. Mary, on the other hand, chose to sit as Jesus’ feet and hear His word.

She knew that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. She was much like Job who said:

Job 23:12 NKJV
12 . . . I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food.

As you will recall, when Lazarus died, Martha went out to meet the Lord and said:

John 11:21-22 NKJV
21 . . . "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You."

Martha makes no attempt to worship the Lord. She simply wants to remind Him that if He had been there, He could have prevented her brother’s death. When Martha confesses her faith that God will still do whatever Jesus asks, Jesus says:

John 11:23-26 NKJV
23 . . . "Your brother will rise again."
24 (But) Martha said to Him,"I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
25 (Then) Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

This is an interesting challenge that Jesus presents to Martha. He says, Martha, I want to know, do you really believe this? And Martha says:

John 11:27 NKJV
27 . . . "Yes, Lord, I (do) believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."

Martha says, Lord, all I really know is that You are the Christ, the Son of God, and with that Martha goes back to get Mary and she tells Mary that Jesus is asking for her.

If, in fact, Jesus did ask for Mary it would certainly point out the special relationship that He had with Mary, and it may be that Martha went out to greet Jesus without Mary because she wanted to speak to Jesus first without Mary being present.

Regardless, when Mary did come to Jesus, she made the very same statement as that of her sister, Martha, but what a difference there was in her attitude. John says that:

John 11:32 NKJV
32 . . . when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him,"Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."

Mary speaks the exact same words that Martha spoke but with a totally different attitude. Mary doesn’t challenge the Lord or question the Lord in any way. She simply falls down before Him and pours out her heart saying, Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died.

Once again Mary came to worship the Lord and to bare her feelings before Him, knowing that He would protect her and sustain her.

And how did Jesus respond to Mary? Did He attempt to teach her about the doctrine of the resurrection? Did He question her faith? No, He simply shared her grief and felt what she felt. John says that:

John 11:33-34 NKJV
33 . . . when Jesus saw her weeping . . . He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.
34 And He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "Lord, come and see."

Then John says that Jesus wept, and John tells us that the Jews who were standing all around assumed that Jesus wept because of His great love for Lazarus. But John makes it clear that Jesus was not weeping for Lazarus. It was His compassion for Mary, when He saw her grieving with such intensity, that caused Him to weep. As Jesus had stated earlier in His Sermon on the Mount:

Matthew 5:3-4 NKJV
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.

Jesus loved Mary, and He was touched by the depth of her emotion. He felt her pain; He sensed her grief. And He wept.

When Jesus commanded them to remove the stone from Lazarus’ tomb, it was Martha who felt the need to warn Jesus, saying:

John 11:39 NKJV
39 . . . "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days."

As you read this, can’t you just see Jesus turning to Martha and saying:

John 11:40 NKJV
40 . . . "Did I not say to you, (Martha), that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"

What a difference between Mary and Martha. In these two sisters, we see two totally different personalities altogether and yet both are saved. Both are true believers, but the fellowship between Mary and Jesus seems to be much sweeter because Mary’s heart was touched by Jesus and there was such a strong emotional bond between the two of them.

Now when we go forward to the time when Mary anointed Jesus’ head and feet with this very expensive ointment, we see that Martha did not say a word. This time is was the disciples who failed to understand the depth and the significance of the bond that existed between Mary and Jesus.

It seemed to them that Mary was simply wasting valuable resources when she anointed Jesus with oil. Matthew says that when the disciples saw what Mary had done:

Matthew 26:8-10,13 NKJV
8 . . . they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste?
9 For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor."
10 But when Jesus was aware of (what they were saying), He said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me.
13 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her."

Well, I see our time is gone for this morning. It certainly has been a pleasure studying with you, and I’ll look forward to our time together next week at this same time.

Church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/