Let's take our Bibles once again
and turn with me to the Gospel according to John 12. John 12. I'd like to deal with verses
4 through 11 this morning. John 12. While you're turning
there, six days before the Passover, the Scripture says back in verse
1, Our Lord had come to Bethany And he came to visit some dear
friends of his, friends that he loved. It was Lazarus, Martha,
and Mary. And they made a supper for him. And he was honored. And honored them by his presence. The Scripture says that Lazarus,
the one that the Lord had raised from the dead, sat at the table
with him. Martha served reverentially,
served obediently, served, and Mary anointed the Lord with a
pound of very expensive ointment, spikement, and wiped His feet
with her hair. But, as the case often is, there
was a tear among the wheat. Let's look at verses 4-6. Then saith one of his disciples,
that is after Mary had taken that town of Spitener and had
anointed the Lord's feet. Thus saith one of his disciples,
Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him. Why?
was not this ointment sold for 300 pence 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 bear what was put therein. How different the attitude between
a believer and an unbeliever. Here was Lazarus and Martha and
Mary respectful. And here was one of the apostles.
One of the apostles. This was a chosen apostle of
the Lord. And he was a terror. He was a thief. He didn't know
God. Heard the Lord preach. Saw Him raise Lazarus from the
dead. Watched Him. He was right there when the Lord
took five loaves, two fish, fed 5,000 men, women, children. all
these mighty works that the Lord Jesus had done. Judas saw it,
witnessed it. But all the difference between
Judas and Lazarus and Martha and Mary, believers. The fastest
way to bring out animosity in the unbeliever is to set forth
the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Set forth God's honor. Just the
fastest way to get somebody riled up religiously. Set forth that
God is in control. That God Almighty is on the throne.
That resentment is born in man. Now I want you to listen to what
he said. Why was this ointment, why was not this ointment sold? The 300 pence had given to the
poor. Mark 14.4. I want you to listen
to Mark's account of what was said. Mark 14.4. It says, And
there were some that had indignation within themselves. Talking about
this event. and said, why was this waste of this ointment made? Why was this waste made? Love to Christ, generosity for
His sake, for His sacrifice, thanksgiving toward Him is never
a waste. I could just almost hear really
what Judas thought. Why give him all the honor? Why give him that glory? Do you realize how expensive
that pound of spikenut was? Some say it was a year's wages. Now you think you work for one
year, whatever you make, one year's work, and it's all bound
up in this one box of perfume and poured on his feet. Why'd you waste that? Judas did not care for the poor. Scripture says it. Verse 6, this he said, not that
he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief. He
just used that as a cloak to hide, to cover his stinginess,
his resentment, and his hatred for the Lord. Often cold-heartedness toward
Christ is exhibited with that kind of spirit, miserly. Mr. Spurgeon said this, Brethren,
I do not think much of a conversion where it does not touch a man's
substance. Why did you waste that perfume. One would do well to question
his attitude toward Christ if his attitude toward the support
of Christ's ministry is either non-existent or very, very scant. That's a waste, man says. That's
a waste. 2 Corinthians 9.7 says, Every man
according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not
grudgingly or of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver. This he said, not because he
cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the bag
and bear what was put therein. One writer said, to expose what
he was. The Lord put him in charge of
keeping the money. You can tell a whole lot about a
man when it comes to the watcher. He was a thief. I'm thankful. I mean this from
the bottom of my heart. My mind just thought, Fifty-five
years. Faithful man. There's not a person
in this room that doesn't trust him. Isn't that a wonderful thing
to do? Trust him. God exposed this man. Put him in charge of the money. Tell you what, you want to find
out what somebody's made out of? See how they are when it
comes to money. Yeah. Money won't divide families.
Yeah, right. He was a thief. Really? How was that so? I want you to
hold your finger right there and turn to Acts 1.18. The Spirit
of God brought it out. It didn't just make the statement.
He actually brought it out. Why? God revealed him to be a
thief. Acts 1.18. 15 to 18. I've never seen this before. Never thought about it. But here
is the exposing that Judas was a thief. Acts 1, 15 to 18. In those days, Peter stood up
in the midst of the disciples and said the number of the names
together were about 120. Men and brethren, this scripture
must needs have been fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth
of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them
that took Jesus." He's the one that brought them to the Lord
that night in the garden. For he was numbered with us and
had obtained part of this ministry. Now this man purchased a field
with the reward of iniquity and falling headlong burst asunder
in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out." Now, was it talking about the 30 pieces
of silver that he betrayed the Lord for? Was it talking about
that he just bought a piece of property out of the money that
was in the bag? Judas This man, verse 18, purchased
a field with the reward of iniquity. I think he stole the money out
of the bag. He took it. He took it. He stole money and bought him
a piece of property. Now, the money, this is the reason
I believe that, is because the money that the chief priest gave
him, Matthew 27.3. Judas didn't buy anything with
that. Judas bought this piece of property. It was money he
took. Matthew 27, verse 3 to 7, the
scripture sets forth, Then Judas, which had betrayed
him when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself and brought
again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed thee, innocent
blood." There was only one. And they said, what is that to
us? See thou to that he cast down
the pieces of silver in the temple and departed and went and hanged
himself. The chief priests took the silver
pieces and said, it's not lawful Not lawful for to put them into
the treasury because it's the price of blood. They took counsel
and bought with them the potter's field to bury strangers in. Wherefore, that field was called
the field of blood unto this day." Now, back in John 12. This, he said, not because
he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief. He took it. Stole it. Had to back. to bear what was put therein. Well, after he made that accusation
toward Mary, the Scripture says in verse 7 and 8, then said Jesus
let her alone. Against the day of my burying
has she kept this, that the poor always you have with you, but
me you have not always. That's an amazing passage of
Scripture. It's very, very thought-provoking
to me. I read that. Here we see, number
one, the Good Shepherd protecting His own. You leave her alone. You leave her alone. The Lord
approved. The Lord accepted her gift. He
knew that that generosity was from a new heart and it was not
waste. It was for His burial, that's
what she said. Six days before He died, by faith she saw. By
faith she saw His substitutionary work. His death, His burial. And she worshipped Him who would
die for her. Oh, that the Spirit of God might
be pleased to teach us something as we sit and hear and listen
to His Word. Matthew and Mark, concerning
that account right there, made this comment. Wheresoever, the
Lord said in their accounts there, this gospel shall be preached
throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall
be spoken of for a memorial to her. The Lord said, wherever
this gospel is going to be preached, I'm telling you, this event right
here is going to be a memorial to this woman that gave all she
had. She did what she did out of a
willing heart. But listen to this. What she
did was under direct guidance of the Spirit of God because
God had prophesied that she was going to do this. Song of Solomon
1.12, While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth
forth the smell thereof. The Lord knew that that act was
ordained by God Almighty, appointed, and accomplished. All the Scriptures
fulfilled. Judas was speaking out of an
evil heart of greed and resentment, covetousness. But you know what? The wrath of man is going to
praise him. Psalm 76.10. Verse 8, the Lord said, for the
poor always you have with you, but me you have not always. Now this is the reason I was
saying that this is such a fault-provoking. I can look at that Scripture
right there, and I can say, speaking of our Lord, who made Himself
the poorest of the poor. He humbled Himself. No man was
ever humbled like He was. No man! ever made himself of
no reputation. And now, even now, he who made
himself of no reputation, he's with his people right now. I
can see the presence of Almighty God. But I'm not trying to rest
the Scriptures or stretch the Scriptures. It's just a thought
that came across my mind of the glory. But even if it's speaking
of truly the poor. Those that not want help themselves. I'm not talking about that. I
know that there's abuse. There's abuse everywhere. I know
that. The poor. I'm talking about these
right here that cannot help themselves. Not those that want work, but
those that can't work. Have no ability. 2 Thessalonians
3.10, the apostle Paul says, for even when we were with you,
this we commanded you, that if a man would not work, not that
he can't work, that he won't work, neither should he eat. Just go hungry. Just go hungry. You won't. Work is good for a
man. It's good for a man. By the sweat
of his brow, It's good to work. But if he cannot work, truly
incapable, help him. Our Lord is not setting forth
that we should not help somebody that cannot help himself. I've
said before, if I see you and there's a rock and you want to
push it up a hill and you're pushing, I'll help you. But if
you're sitting there waiting on me to push it up, that's just
enough Cajun left in me, Jeff, I just... No. If you can't try. The poor, always you have to. You have with you. To minister
to. To help those that need, truly
need. But me, he said, you have not
always. Now here's what I truly believe
our Lord was setting forth. Soon he's going to be crucified.
Bodily presence is not going to be found anymore on that earth,
on that place in this earth. The lesson, I jotted down Colossians
3.2. Let me read that to you. Colossians 3.2, concerning our
Lord saying, the poor you have always with you, me you have
not always with you. Set your affection on things
above, not on things on the earth. The poor will always be here,
but you seek first the kingdom of God. and His righteousness,
and all these things shall be added unto you." Let me tell
you the best thing that you can do for someone concerning their
need. You seek God first. Seek the
Lord first. What's the right thing to do?
Seek God first. Me, you have not always with
you. Seek Him first. Guided, directed. Let me tell
you, tell me if I'm wrong on this. This world and its false
religion has got the whole thing backwards. The focus is on let's
get everybody on an equal standard. Let's make everybody equal. Let's
don't have anybody. We've got to do everything. And everything is done except
seeking God. Verses 9-11, 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 priest consulted
that they might put Lazarus also to death, because that by reason
of him, many of the Jews went away and believed on Jesus. Curiosity is always found in
man. I understand that. I want to know. I'd like to know what's going
on. I'd like to watch the news. I'd like to see what's happening.
Man's curious by nature. Much people therefore knew that
he was there. Not for the Lord Jesus' sake
only, but they heard that this man had been raised from the
dead. But there were some there because the Lord had raised Lazarus
from the dead, because He had set forth His power, because
Lazarus was raised back and people were now seeing, looking at the
Lord, looking at Lazarus and not looking at them. Let's kill
Lazarus. Calliophists have said we need
to put Christ to death too. Or Jesus to death too. This true
miracle taking place, but found in the midst of all of that curiosity
were some that truly hated the Lord. And hated His sovereign
right to do what He would. Why didn't He raise all of them?
Why didn't he speak to all of the dead in there? Why would
he just raise Lazarus? Lazarus was hated because the
chief priests, the Sadducees, they didn't believe in the resurrection. And here's one that's out of
the grave. He's exposing them. Man hates to be exposed. I hate
to be exposed. Lazarus was a witness against
them. And they who claimed to know
and love God would rather murder a man than admit that they were
wrong. They'd rather kill him. I'm not
wrong. And I'm going to kill you because
you've exposed. Lazarus didn't expose him. The
Lord did. But thanks be unto God, In the
midst of the backdrop of man's rebellion and hatred of our Lord
and God, we see the mighty hand of His sovereign power and His
working and His moving, guiding and directing, keeping for the
sake of Christ, these things, the good of His people. Brethren,
never despair. Our Lord rules. And when the last shot is fired,
you know what's going to stand? Heaven and earth are going to
pass away. And He said, My Word is never going to pass away.
Everything that He's ever said, everything He's ever purposed,
everything He's ever willed is going to come to pass. It's going
to stand. Give me, I pray this morning,
and I mean this, give me a heart to believe you and to trust you. For Christ's sake.