The Price of Passion

Pericope: Mark 14:3-9 - 3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Sermon Text:  Mark 14:3 - 3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.

Sermon Title:  Passion 365 Pt 4: The Price of Passion

Point 1:  The place where Jesus was.  Vs. 3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper.

John 12:9-11 - 9 9 When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.

. James 4:8 - 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you…Mary’s purpose was to anoint Jesus for his burial ignited her passion. When your passion connects to your purpose you are set ablaze and people won’t be able to stop you or put your fire out.

Point 2: Mary poured out the oil.  Vs. 3…she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 

Mark 14:4- 5 - 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii[a] and given to the poor.” And they scolded her.

John 12:4-5 - 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”

Whenever you give to Jesus and extraordinary amount of your time talent and treasure there would be pushback from people.

John 12:3 says - 3 Mary therefore took a pound[a] of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

The room will be filled with a poverty spirit and a prosperous spirit. 

·      Poverty spirit fragrance = I can get… Give to the poor… Who’s getting all that money…

·      Prosperous spirit equals 3 John 2 - Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.

Point 3: Jesus speaks up for the passionate people and memorializes the moment Vs. 6 - 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Mary doesn’t say one word. She doesn’t have to. Mary doesn’t try to defend herself or explain why she would give I am happy to Jesus. She doesn’t have to. Jesus does

Mark 14:7 - 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me.

Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 15: 11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

He says three very important things

1.   He quoted a familiar passage about the poor because it is at this time of the year when alms would be given to the poor.

2.   Vs. 8 - 8 but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.

3.   Jesus memorializes Mary just like he did another woman who gave her all.  Mark 12:41-44 - 41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Conclusion:  This morning let’s 

·      Passionately give our lives to Christ if we don’t know him in the pardon of our sins.

·      Passionately give our time to him by serving or joining a LifeGroup.

·      Passionately give our first fruit…

Passion 365 Pt 4: Passion Fruit

Sermon Text:  John 15: 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Sermon Title:  Passion 365 Pt 4; Passion Fruit

John 3: 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

James 1:17 (ESV)  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

3 John 2 - Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you 

may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.

Point 1:  Stay connected Verse 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you.

Verse 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Romans 8:35-39 -Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Verse 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

Point 2: Stay clean Verse 3 - 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.

Point 3: Stay in love Verse 9-10 - 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.

Point 4: Stay fruitful Verse 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Malachi 3:7 - Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?'

Genesis 8:22 - "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."

2 Corinthians 9:6 - 6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[a] will also reap bountifully.

411 January 13 Online

Passion365 Pt 2 - 2019 Pressure

Pericope:  Phil. 3:7-14  7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Sermon Text:  Phil. 3: 14. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Sermon Title:  Passion365 Pt 2: 2019 Pressure

1 Corinthians 9:20-22 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. In other words, Paul said by any means necessary!!

Point 1:  Press pass your past.  Vs. 7…I count everything as loss…

Vs 3B...and put no glory in the flesh.

Vs 4-6 - 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 

Point 2:  Press pass your pain.  Vs. 13 …forgetting what is behind me…

Notice the difference between pressing pass your past and forgetting your pain.

Vs 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

2 Corinthians 11:23– 27 – 23b… I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

1.  Forgive

2.  Forge ahead

3.  Focus on your future

Point 3:  Press for your prize.  Vs. 14  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ. 

vs 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.

Matthew 6:33 seek ye first then kingdom ...

Including the power of the resurrection.

In 2019 you will need the power of the resurrection to accomplish everything you want.

Closer to God—Power of the resurrection

Debt free life—Power of the resurrection

Promotion on your job –Power of the resurrection

Power over sin—power of the resurrection

The power of the resurrection comes from knowing Jesus.

Passion 365 Pt 1

Pericope:  Rev. 3:14-22

Sermon Text:  Rev. 3:15-16 - 15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Sermon Title:  Passtion365 Pt 1 – After the Love is Gone

Point 1:  Denial – vs. 17…you do not realize…

The members of the church at Laodicea were in complete denial about their passion for Jesus. They thought their status in life reflected their heart for God.

Matthew 22: 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

They were like some of us. We think we are

a)  We think we are wealthy

b)  We think we are warm

c)  We think we are wise

Point 2: Detection vs. 15-16 15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

a)  Do we have to…

b)  Why are we doing this…

c)  It don't take all that…

Point 3:  Delivered.  Vs. 20 …I stand at the door and knock

Verse 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

a)  Jesus is standing

a)  Jesus is knocking

b)  Jesus wants to come in

Point 4:  Dependence - Verse 21 to him who overcomes… Just as I overcame…

a)  Finances in 2019 – God's love comes with stuff God is a giver

b)  Family life in 2019

c)  Future in 2019

How?

Life Application: 

1.  Sign up for 40 days of prayer

2.  Sign up for financial peace

3.  Don’t miss revival