The Plot, The Perfume and the Payment
Matthew • Sermon • Submitted
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· 18 viewsThree groups or people should be worshipping Jesus, but only one will be found faithful and he will reciprocate the faithfulness as He endures the cross.
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GPS analogy
GPS analogy
Once you put your destination in, the route is computed and the turn by turn guidance is set
Thankfully these work the majority of the time but at times they can surprise you
IF your on along trip, it will occasionally remind to remain on the route and as your turn approaches of course it begins to remind you
If you could GPS the course of Jesus life, he is nearing his last turn and arriving at the purpose of his journey
He has taught the disciples the last recorded message in the Gospel, told them of the end and how to live prepared, persevering, and faithful lives
Thats behind him, the cross is ever more in front of him as it always has been
Today we will break down the passage into: The Prophecy, The Plot, The Perfume and the Payment
The Prophecy: Vs 1-2
When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
Matthew Gospel has been broken down into 5 major teaching section and the dividing statements have been “ When Jesus has finished all these sayings”
-this is the final statement- the others are Matt 7:28, 11:1, 13:53, 19:1, 26:1
But the reminder falls heavily upon verse 2
-the Passover is just two days away and I will be crucified
-The 30 some odd year journey is approaching the destination
-But before we let our mind think this was just some after the fact occurence or primarily caused by sin
Rev 13:8- tells us he is the lamb slain before the foundations of the world for the people who were already in the Lambs books
John 18 will make it clear it for this very purpose he came into the world
The predetermined saving work of God was about to reach is climax
And he reminds his disciples once again what will happen
By no random chance, its Passover and Jesus will be killed
At the biggest festival in Jewish life, the remembering of when God guarded the people of Israel by passing over their house
But only if the blood of spotless firstborn lamb was applied over the door post and the sides
The body of the lamb would have been roasted and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs
It would have been eaten with shoes on and dressed to leave- because that was the command that God gave Moses as he would rescue the people from Egypt
And now the Jesus tells the disicples- The Passover is coming and the Final lamb, myself is going to die
His mission has been set and he is days away from embracing the cross and the great work of love he will pour out for his people
Whether they get it or not, we are not told but it does lead us to the next portion
The Plot Vs 3-5
As Jesus reminds his disciples of what will happen, the RL is plotting their actions
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
As they assemble in the pristine palace of the HP, to the plot the death of the Great HP who doesnt even have a place to lay his head we feel the irony building
We can feel the tension elevate in this passage
Jesus statements in Chapter 21-23 have reached a boiling point
This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
they have always desired this, however the plot has now taken shape
Vs 4-5--they will act in secrecy and get him but not this week
Too many people, too many loose ends
They are more concerned about being ceremonially unclean and losing clout amongst the people more so than any thing else
So the question is will the prophecy stand firm or will the whitewashed tombs plot play out?
We shall see
The Perfume- Vs 6-13
At some point Jesus has finally makes it to Bethany and is at the house of Simon the Leper
Its interesting why Matthew names this man
We have examples like Blind Bartimaeous but most the time they are anonymous
Maybe because the audience would know them now
Maybe he has been healed by Jesus already
Maybe Simon is mentioned for dramatic effect to show that in the RL palace they are plotting to kill Jesus and at the “lepers” house they are having him for dinner
The outcaste seem to have better spiritual sight than the religious teachers
a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table.
A woman, John identifies her as Mary(Lazarus sisters), comes and pours ointment on Jesus
This isnt the same person who come and washes Jesus feet with her tears- Luke 7:36-50 tells of that story
But you maybe familiar with Martha and Mary- Mary sits at Jesus feet and while Martha is busy tending to details
Mary takes a jar of ointment and anoints Jesus while was at the table as a sign of her love and faith to Christ
I believe her actions are speaking louder than her intent
Im not sure she understood what would happen to Jesus but what is clear is her love for him
And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.”
The disciples are furious- thats key here
Matthew doesnt identify just one but the group
John pegs Judas to be a primary spokesperson here- and it could be by his proding he pushed the disciples on to anger
But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.
Seems he was known to have sticky hands and his comments were insincere
But either way- the sheer cost of this oinment was valued at a years wage
It was probably like an inheritance
Equivalent to modern day 30K dollars
But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
Jesus makes an interesting remark
Let her do what she did- She is preparing me for burial and her story of love will be told along with MY story of love
He doesnt scold her
He also isnt commanding the disciple to wasteful as well
He is telling them that the glory of God should our primary purpose
We will always have social problems and he has already identified how to handle them in last chapter were he calls the church to meet the needs of fellow believers with general kindness and love when those arise
And when we do that, we are showing the love of God
But we cant get sidetracked off of our primary purpose- to Glorify God and Worship
One commentator wrote
This prophecy of his about this woman is receiving a fulfillment every day before our eyes: wherever the Gospel of St. Matthew is read, her action is known. The deeds and titles of many a king and emperor and general are as completely forgotten as if written in the sand; but the grateful act of one humble Christian woman is recorded in 150 different languages [might we add 2,000 plus to Ryle’s number, as the Gospel of Matthew has been translated into nearly 2,300 different languages], and is known all over the globe.
Here we sit today speaking of her love today
The payment -14-16
The passage takes a shift again as we move from a outcaste to one of his intimate friends
Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.
I dont think anyone like for someone to go behind there back
Same was lying- I cant stand it
I tell my kids, Id be more proud of you if you just told me the truth than if you lied to cover it up
Matthew makes it clear, one of the twelve
Sent by twos to do amazing works
In the boat when the waves where calmed
There when Lazarus rose from the grave
Judas- possibly indignant for the rebuke in John 12
Went to priest and begins to conspire for the life of Jesus
The payment is 30 pieces of silver- a slaves cost
Just as Joseph was betrayed by one of his 11 brothers- Jesus is betrayed by Judas- one of his own men
Vs 16- says it well - he sought an opportunity to betray him
It was willfully done
Same as the RL plotted against Jesus
Same as Mary anointed Jesus with perfume
Same as Jesus embraces the cross
All from the hearts desire
We end up with the RL, Mary, and Judas
All with knowledge of Jesus but only one with real worship
Mary acts of love were reciprocated not only by Jesus public defense but also by his life given on the cross
Proximity and Position never equals holiness
-Judas would look like he couldnt any closer to Jesus
-RL would look like cant be any more holy
-But they would both prove themselves to frauds
-they way to real life in Jesus is found in surrendering our hearts to Jesus
-The danger can become this, If I do all the church steps then I am good with God
-When all the while Jesus says you must love God with all heart, mind and strength
he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
2. Genuine faith in God always accompanies genuine love of God
Im not sure its clearer in the passage who had genuine faith
We will never know if Mary got the whole picture of the cross and Jesus death a this exact time but it doesnt necessarily appear so
-But what is certain, is that she loved Jesus
The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.
Her love for Jesus overflowed from her faith in him
Does ours?
May look for oppurtunities to love others
3. Following Jesus has a price
-the RL and Judas settled for a bag of silver
-Mary gave her inheritance
-Jesus calls you and I to give our lives as well
Jesus tell the rich man, to sell it all, give it to the poor and follow him
Jesus wanted his heart and that was his greatest love
Does your family know God is first place in your life? Wife, Kids, Parents, Grandparents
-Whats your price?
Jim Elliot quote- He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.