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NOT THE EYE, BUT THE HEART. 4/17/2022. EASTER. Matthew 26:6-16.
6 And 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. 8 But when His disciples saw it, 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.” 14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. 16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.
1. Judas saw more than Mary of Bethany
a. Judas saw the blind given sight, the lame healed, the dead raised, and the lepers cleansed
a1. Saw everything the other apostles saw
a2. Judas’ issue was not a lack of evidence
b. Mary of Bethany may have seen some of the evidence, but may have just heard the stories
a1. Rahab the Harlot exercised more faith than most of Israel without seeing miracles
a2. The centurion believed that Jesus could heal his servant w/out him entering his house
c. Judas saw Jesus’s miracles as a means to a political end by which he would gain power and wealth
a1. Judas never deviated from his hopes
a2. Judas was not looking for a spiritual Christ
2. Judas heard more than Mary of Bethany
a. Judas heard Jesus’s teachings
a1. Jesus spoke of sin, redemption, faith, eternal life, resurrection, discipleship,
hope, reward, surrender, and deliverance
a2. Never once did Jesus speak of overthrowing Rome
b. Mary listened closely to Jesus’ teachings
a1. Martha wanted Mary to help host
a2. Jesus tells Martha that Mary had chosen the better part and it would not be taken from her
3. Mary listened to the words of Jesus
a. Even though the disciples heard more of Jesus’s teachings than Mary, Mary understood what Jesus said and believed him (John 7:25-44)
b. Even though Jesus clearly spoke of his impending execution, the disciples did not understand or believe
a1. They still sought a conquering Messiah
a2. On several occasions they asked if he was about to set up his kingdom
c. The cry of the crowd on Palm Sunday, “Save now”, was a call to deliver them from Rome, not sin
d. Mary listened carefully to Jesus’s words
a1. She believed the Lord when he said that he must be turned over to the Romans to
be crucified
a2. She anointed Jesus for his burial
e. The apostle were outraged at “wasting” a costly ointment on anointing Jesus
a1. None of the apostles expected Jesus to be executed
a2. When Judas figured out that Jesus was not going to lead a rebellion, he decided to betray him to the Jewish leaders
4. Listening and believing
a. Many people claim to believe in Christ, his crucifixion, and resurrection, but faith doesn’t impact life
a1. Academic belief is not saving belief
a2. A life of trust is different than a life of intellectual assent
b. Mary’s belief caused her to act upon that belief
a1. She did what she could to honor the Lord
a2. She knew what was ahead, for she listened
c. If we truly believe that Jesus has saved us from eternal condemnation, our lives will be totally
committed to him in faith, trust, attitude, priorities, service, witness, and obedience
d. Believing means bonding with and submitting to him
Key verse: John 7:25-4425 Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill? 26 But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ? 27 However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.” 28 Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, “You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. 29 But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.” 30 Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 And many of the people believed in Him, and said, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?” 32 The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. 33 Then Jesus said to them, “I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me. 34 You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.” 35 Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What is this thing that He said, ‘You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come’?” 37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 40 Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people because of Him. 44 Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.