WHO ARE YOU AROUND JESUS?
"Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,
Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.
For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.
Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;"
At one of Jesus’ Last meals in public, certain people were present. As we have come to the Lord’s Table today, let us examine our hearts in the light of the motives of the people who were around Jesus. Let us see who we want to identify with and shape our cry to God today, in repentance, if necessary, and in consecration, if we are moved:
1. LAZARUS: A friend of Jesus, whom He raised from the dead, and had opened his home in His honour.
2. MARTHA: Sister of Lazarus and Mary, used to hosting Jesus; was serving everybody there in honour of Jesus
3. MARY: Sister of Lazarus that was raised from the dead, used to sitting at the feet of Jesus, trusting in Jesus’ ability to raise the dead, although until Lazarus was raised from the dead, Jesus had not raised anyone. She spent an expensive perfume to spend on Jesus, and wiped it with her hair, bringing fragrance into the whole house, in absolute honour of Jesus.
4. JUDAS ISCARIOT: A disciple of Jesus, appointed custodian of the disciples’ money, condemned Mary who honoured Jesus in an extraordinary way, was confirmed later to be a thief
5. DISCIPLES: They might have been with Jesus, as required, but were so silent, even though one of them was virtually saying Jesus was not worthy of such honour, and might have been privy to Judas’s mischief!
6. MANY PEOPLE: They came because of the miracle as well, not because of Jesus alone
7. HIGH PRIESTS: Were jealous of what Jesus had done, had plotted to kill Him already, but now decided to kill Lazarus as well, to destroy the testimony of Jesus
PRAYER
a. Let us open our homes to Him, in His honour
b. Let us serve Him and everybody because of Him
c. Let us give our most costly to Him, and worship Him, because He deserves it
d. Let us encourage those who honour Him
e. Let us defend His honour, and tell everybody He really deserves all our substance and worship
f. Let us come because of Him alone, rather than for the miracles He has done
g. Let us repent of our plots to steal His glory by hook or crook!
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