Volume
10 Week 35 August 29, 2004
How
Can We Ever Thank Him Enough?
We
Still Talk About Two Stories Of Loving Response To God's Goodness!
There's a story of an extraordinary servant in the Gospel of Matthew that I have to tell you about. Jesus told me to. He said back then that we'd be talking about the story in every century. Let's take a look!
It was in Jesus' final days with his disciples. they had already entered Jerusalem in the triumphant procession on Palm Sunday and the wicked men who wanted him dead had already initiate their plans. In fact, right after the story we will look at, Judas went out and made his deal to betray Jesus.
Each evening Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went to Bethany a few miles away to stay with friends. One evening as they were resting at the supper table in Simon's house (a man who had been cured of leprosy) something strange and unusual happened.
An unnamed woman entered the room, came up to Jesus with, "an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment" (Matthew 26:7) and poured it on Jesus' head.
As usual in the Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus, there were two immediate reactions. It seems like everything in the life of Jesus caused a controversy! No matter what he or his disciples or his followers did, someone had a complaint about it! And in this case, there was certainly cause for eyebrows to be raised!
This woman had just cashed in her CDs and dumped them on Jesus' head. In ancient times, family treasures were not kept in investment banks in Tel Aviv or safe deposit boxes in Joppa. The wealth of families was often kept in treasures like a few gold coins woven into a tapestry or piece of clothing. Such a fine treasure as a carefully carved piece of artwork, an alabaster jar for example, filled with a perfumed ointment, would be used only rarely and sparingly because it represented an investment for the future.
In a moment of passion and great love, respect and worship of the Savior Jesus, this woman did something that everyone in the room gasped at. Something silly. Something nonsensical. First, she opened her heart. She had obviously seen and heard the deeds and words of the Savior, and God had given her faith to see that he was indeed the Messiah sent from heaven. She opened her heart and poured out her love on Jesus.
And then in an act that we still speak about today, just as Jesus said we would, she opened her treasure and poured it out on Jesus' head.
The first verses of chapter 26 of Matthew tell us that the time had come. The chief priests and elders started in motion a plot that would end in chapter 27 with a lifeless Jesus nailed to the cross. How interesting that Matthew follows those opening verses of the plot to kill Jesus with this anointing at Bethany. Jesus tells us why. the woman's generous anointing of the Lord was part of God's plan for the salvation of the world. Verse 12: "In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial."
How could she know that? I'm sure she did not. I'm quite certain that she simply loved Jesus with her whole heart and did what comes naturally. She took from her treasures, the gifts God had given her, and she offered them in an act of love to her beloved Jesus. God used her simple, generous gift for the salvation of the world. Jesus was marked and prepared for his burial. God was at work through Jesus' offering of his life, in a plan established before the world was founded, and God was at work in that loving gift. We still talk about it today.
Air Conditioning
The air conditioning in Schroeder Hall is failing and the furnace will need replacement soon. what has this got to do with a jar of perfume broken and poured 2000 years ago? Everything.
We're planning a brief congregational assembly meeting for Sunday after worship that may be completed by the time you read this. We expect it to be brief because somebody broke a jar open a few years back. We're in the very awkward, but very privileged position of making a decision about a significant financial gift that someone who loves us gave to us, instead of spending it on himself.
Home Knickmeyer was a friend of mine whom I only got to know well after he was diagnosed with cancer. It took me some months as his pastor to even know his name. I'd ask some of you who I met right away, "Who is that tall, older gentleman with the shining white hair who slips in and out of the service so quietly each week?" Some couldn't tell me. they'd say, "Yeah, who is that guy?" Others reminded me, "That's Homer. He's a great guy. Quiet. Loves the Lord. Here every week." I was glad when I was able to strike up a quick conversation once in a while, but usually we shared a "Hello! God bless you! Have a great week!"
In his illness, we visited often, and talked about pain and grace, about suffering and the comfort of God's love, about our broken bodies, and the body and blood of Christ broken so we could share it in his hospital or nursing home room. After a months long struggle, Jesus called. Homer was laid to rest, with much sadness from his small family of distant relations and one very close friend, but much rejoicing and joy that God had kept his promises and received his child unto himself.
Many months later I received a letter from an attorney by registered mail (gulp! just what you like to see in the mail!). Inside was a check for over $17,000. In Homer's last will and testament, he told the whole world of his love for Jesus. I smell sweet perfume, an aroma ascending to the throne of heaven. Our church is stronger because of that simple act of love, remembering us and those we serve in his will.
Some time after that, another check or two arrived in the mail. We've guarded that money carefully, and a large portion will soon be used for desperately needed sound system upgrades. We'll decide Sunday if Homer will offer us the gift of warmth and cooling.
I doubt if any children from our preschool or students at our Sunday School or kids from the youth group will ever pause to reflect on what a great guy that Homer was. I do expect that they will look at their formative years at Mount Calvary as a blessed and holy time when they heard of the saving love of Jesus Christ. Homer cared that we share that love. Loud and clear. In winter and in summer. Thanks to his foresight and love for the Lord, we will.
It took Carol and I a few moments with our attorney to make sure that the same thing happens one day. No strings attached, just a gift of faith and love. We hope some voter's meeting is much more brief someday because of how God has blessed us.
Thanks, anointing woman, for your testimony of love. Thanks, Homer for serving alongside us in an extraordinary way even today. Thank you Jesus for the privilege of being called your servants. I love the way God works.