John chapter 12. I'm entitling
the message, Worshipping at the Feet of the Lord Jesus Christ. Worshipping at the Feet of the
Lord Jesus Christ. That's exactly what Mary was
doing here as she anointed the Feet of the Lord Jesus, wiped
His Feet with her hair, And the house was filled with
the odor of that spikenard that she used. Worshipping at the
feet of the Lord Jesus Christ. Worshipping Him. This is every
believer's want to. This is every believer's desire. Because God has given that desire
unto us. It's not something that we choose
naturally. It's something that God has wrought
within our heart by His grace. We therefore delight to sit at
His feet. We delight to hear His Word when
the Gospel is preached. We delight and desire to honor
Him, and we do so by faith. We do so by believing Him, which
incites us to worship the true and living God. You remember
from John chapter 4, where our Lord said, The Father seeketh
such to worship Him, The Father seeking His people out to worship
Him in spirit and in truth. Now, this is why we're assembled
here today. We come not here for any other
reason. Oh, the fellowship is sweet. We enjoy one another's
company. and we enjoy singing the songs
of grace that magnify the Lord, but the main central part of
our gathering together is to worship Him as He ought to be
worshipped. Wouldn't you really just one
day, one time, really in your heart before God, just for a
moment or two, to really, really I mean actually, truly worship
Him as He ought to be worshipped. One day we'll have an eternal
worship when we're with Him forever in glory, and there we'll truly
worship Him as He ought to be worshipped. Now in John chapter
12, in these first six or seven verses, again we see a contrast
painted. Now remember, This is not the
word of John, although it's called the Gospel according to John.
John was used of God to pin these words, but this is God's record. This is a testimony of God the
Holy Spirit revealing the Gospel unto us. And again we see a contrast
painted by God the Holy Spirit, about those who desire to love,
serve, and worship the Lord, and those who seek to despise
Him, betray Him, and they consulted together. I mean, they connived
together how they might take Him and how they might kill Him. What a contrast! Martha serving
the Lord. Mary sitting at His feet. Lazarus sitting at the table
with the Lord Jesus Christ as he fellowships together with
Him. And then those who seek to betray
Him. Those who seek to kill Him. Those
who seek to kill not only the Lord, but Lazarus. They wanted to put Him to death.
as well. Now one thing every believer
knows, it's only by the sovereign purpose of God, by the sovereign
grace of God, that any of us believe the gospel and love the
gospel instead of dying in rebellion against God Almighty. Now, we're born in rebellion.
There's no question about that. We come forth from the womb speaking
lies, and if God doesn't intervene and God doesn't intercede and
do something for us, we'll die in our sin. You remember John
8? Our Lord said, if you believe
not that I am, you'll die in your sin. Now, Who makes us to
differ from another? Why are you sitting here today
desiring to hear a word from Him, desiring to worship Him? It's God who has made us to differ. Every believer knows that. The
apostle asked that question, who maketh thee to differ from
another? What do you have that you didn't receive by the sovereign
grace of God? Now notice something special
here, verse 1 of chapter 12, But then, when they were seeking
to destroy the Lord, and to betray him, that they might take him
then, six days before the Passover, six days before the Lord dies
for the sin of his people, six days before the Lord willingly,
remember he said, no man takes my life from me, I have power
to lay it down, I have power to take it again, this commandment
have I received in my father, he's no unwilling substitute,
no unwilling sheep, No unwilling lamb of God, rather, the Lord
Jesus Christ comes to Bethany, Bethany, where Lazarus was, which
had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. The Lord comes
near to Bethany. which was two miles from Jerusalem,
as he sets his face like a flint, marching toward that appointed
hour of God. to be, not only to observe the
last Passover, honoring the law of God, working out perfect righteousness
for us, but the Lord Jesus Christ comes to Bethany on His way to
Jerusalem, marching toward Calvary's Hill, to be our Passover lamb,
to be our sacrifice for our sin. You remember this scripture,
Paul said, for even Christ, our Passover, Christ, our Passover,
He is the Lamb of God that takes away our sin. Christ, our Passover,
is sacrifice for us. We see the Lord Jesus Christ
on Calvary's tree, dying the just for the unjust, that He
might bring us unto our God. Now notice this. He came here to Bethany. Bethany. Bethany. This town,
this little village, was privileged to have the Lord Jesus Christ
visit, not once, but on many occasions. Many other places
He simply passed them by. Many other towns and villages
He chose not to visit. And He did so on purpose. But
here He must needs go through Samaria, and here He must needs
go through Bethany. Here he ministers to this family
that he had chosen from all eternity, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, and
others, I'm sure, in this community. Bethany. Bethany. Bethany had
the privilege of the Lord visiting there on many occasions. Reminds
me of this. What a privilege the Lord has
given to us here at Zebulun. Where in the world is Zebulon,
Kentucky? I mean, of all the places, and
all the cities, and all the towns, and we've been on vacation these
last few weeks, and we've driven through many, many towns, and
many, many different little cities, and far as I know, there's no
gospel ministry there. Oh, there's churches on every
corner, but they have no gospel preaching there. And here the
Lord has established a gospel ministry here in Zebulun. Why so? Well, the Lord on His
sovereign purpose, in His sovereign pleasure, has pleased to raise
up a gospel ministry here that God might use that ministry and
the preaching of the gospel to call out His people and to continually
feed His people with the gospel of God's grace and to bless them. Now what a privilege Bethany
had. What a privilege we have right here at Zebulun. Where
the gospel of God's grace and God's glory, the gospel of God
concerning the Lord Jesus Christ is declared. Not once, but on
every occasion, when we gather together, we come together to
declare the gospel of Christ. Now, As we look at these verses
here in John chapter 12, I want us to consider these persons
and individuals, at least three of them in the text, and see
in each of them what We are by nature sinners and what God has
made us by His grace. And then lastly we'll consider
the case of Judas the reprobate. Judas who was used of God to
sell out the Lord Jesus Christ and to betray him and in doing
so fulfill the very Word of God that had been written and decreed
of God. So let's look first of all at
Lazarus. And consider in Lazarus a picture
of a believer who had been raised from the dead. The Lord came
to Bethany, on his way to Jerusalem, where Lazarus was, which had
been dead, whom..." Now how did Lazarus get out of that grave?
Is there anyone here that would vainly think that Lazarus raised
himself from the dead? Not at all. You would have to
say, and you know that the Word of God declares it, God raised
him from the dead. And we certainly remember what
had happened to Lazarus. He was sick, and his sickness
brought death, but we also know that the Lord Raised him from
the dead you remember we studied that when the Lord said Lazarus
come forth and he that was dead came forth and Now we see this
man who was raised from the dead notice what it says in verse
2 Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with the Lord
Jesus Christ and He is now sitting, fellowshipping, eating, and communing
with the Lord Himself. Lazarus and the story of Lazarus
is my story. It's the story of every believer.
Lazarus is our story. You see, we all have a terminal
disease known as S-I-N, sin, which brings us to the grave
of total depravity and spiritual deadness before God, of which
we are unable. We are unable. to raise ourselves
from the dead. We are unable to quicken ourselves. We're unable to save ourselves. We're unable to do anything to
improve our condition. We are dead in trespasses and
in sin. Unable to change our condition
from being dead in our sin, we cannot give ourselves life. Now
how did we get that way? How did we get that way? when
we know what the scriptures teach. Scriptures teach that in Adam
all died. In Adam we were born in sin,
shapen in iniquity, and when we come forth from the womb,
we don't come forth as pretty good fellas. We come forth from
the womb dead in our sin, speaking lies because that's all a sinner
can do is speak lies before God. It's only by the sovereign grace
of God that we've been raised up. It's only by the sovereign
grace of God that we've been made to sit together in the heavenlies
with the Lord Jesus Christ. Now I want you to find Ephesians
chapter 2. This is a familiar scripture, but it's always good
to read these things again. You see in Lazarus, we see a
picture of our salvation. God called Lazarus that day out
of the dead. He didn't simply say come forth
in a general call. He specifically, personally,
powerfully called one man. Lazarus. And that's what he does
for us in grace. He calls us to himself. He gives
us life. Ephesians chapter 2. Now look
at this carefully. And you hath he quickened who
were dead. Dead. dead in trespasses, dead
toward God, spiritually without life, dead in our sin, wherein,
because of that deadness, in time past we walked according
to the course of this world. How is that? Away from God, loving
darkness, hating light. According to the prince of the
power of the air, the spirit of rebellion, the spirit that
now worketh in the children who are disobedient unto God, among
whom also we We, we all had our conversation in time past. Our conduct in the lust of the
flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind,
and were by nature children of wrath, even as others. What happened? But God. You see that? But God. Who made the difference? Here we were by nature, children
of wrath, rebellion against God. But God, who is rich in mercy,
for his great love were with he loved us. Now read on. Even
when we were dead in sins, have quickened us together with Christ. By grace are you saved. Now watch
it. And made us sit together, raised
us up, made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus,
that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of
his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. What
was Lazarus doing that day? Being raised from the dead, he
is sitting with the Lord Jesus Christ. That's exactly what has
happened to everyone who believes in gospel. We've been raised
up from the dead by His sovereign mercy and sovereign grace, and
He's made us right now. We're seated together with Him
in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. Right now. In the eternal purpose
of God, it's already done. You see that? So in that way,
we see Lazarus as a picture of a believer, raised from the dead,
sitting together with the Lord Jesus Christ in peace, in harmony,
in fellowship, and reconciliation, being made a new creature in
Christ Jesus. Seated together in the heavenlies
with him right now Okay, here's the second thing we see we want
to see not only that Lazarus is a picture of a sinner raised
and quickened by God's grace But we see Martha again Serving
the Lord you see that in verse 2. They made him a supper and
Martha again like we read in Luke chapter 10 again Martha
is busy She's busy Doing what? Serving the Lord. Now, there's
nothing wrong with serving the Lord. It's a good thing, and
it's a good thing that we have some Marthas around to serve
the Lord. Now, look just across the page
in John 12, verse 26. If any man serve me,
let him follow me. where I am, there shall also
my servant be. If any man serve me, now watch
it, if any man serve me, him will my father honor. Remember
from our study in 1 Samuel, God said, those that honor me, those
that serve me, those who honor me, I will honor. What a privilege
it is for any sinner raised by the grace of God to have a desire
and a want to, to serve the Lord, to serve Him. Out of what, bondage? Out of slavish fear? No, out
of gratitude and love. As a matter of fact, the scripture
said, don't turn, let me just get this for you quickly, where
it says, it's talking about serving the Lord, it says, Whatsoever
you do, do it heartily as to the Lord. Serving the Lord, as
unto the Lord. Whatsoever you do in word or
deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks
to God by Him. Now what a privilege God's given
us to serve the Lord. Now, again, let's look at this.
Again, we see what we are by nature. What by nature do we
serve? Huh? We are servants of sin and
self by nature. And we see what the Lord has
made us by His grace. Servants unto Him. I want you
to turn to this one. Turn to Romans 6. Romans chapter
6. Look at verse 14, Romans 6 verse
14. Notice verse 14 in Romans 6.
For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under
the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because
we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid! Know
ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey,
his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death,
or of obedience unto righteousness? Now look at verse 17. But God
be thanked, that you were the servants of sin, but you've obeyed
from the heart that form of doctrine, that is the gospel, which was
delivered unto you, and being made free or justified from sin,
you become the servants of Christ, the servants of righteousness
unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Oftentimes when we read the epistles
that were penned by Paul, oftentimes he called himself, remember,
the servant of the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. God the Father
speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ and called him my righteous servant. Therefore, I say, according to
the word of God, it is a high thing to be known and to be called
a servant of the Lord. Matter of fact, I told some of
the men in the church when the Lord is pleased to take me out
of this life, and when you plant my body over here in the graveyard
that's over by the house on Wynn's Branch, that you put on my tombstone
a servant of the Lord. That's a high title. It's a high
honor to be known as a servant of the Lord. A willing, loving,
bond slave of Christ who serves the Lord out of love and gratitude. That's why we serve Him. That's
why we worship Him. You see, the love of Christ constrains
us. Martha is serving the Lord because
she's... What? She's in love with Him. She's in love with the Lord.
And this is exactly the motive of every believer. We love Him
only because He first loved us. And we love one another because
He first loved us. We only serve the Lord as we
love and serve one another. I've said that many times. Turn to Matthew 25. We only serve
the Lord as we love and serve one another here and right now.
That's how we serve the Lord, by serving His cause, His purpose,
His people. Turn to Matthew 25. And that
day when the Lord gathers all nations before him, and he will
separate the sheep, his elect, from the goats, the sheep on
his right hand and the goats on his left, then shall he say
in Matthew 25, 34, Then shall the king say to them on his right
hand, Come ye blessed in my father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world, for I was hungry.
and you gave me meat. I was thirsty and you gave me
drink. I was a stranger and you took
me in. I was naked and you clothed me.
I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came
unto me. Then shall the righteous answer
him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungered, and fed thee,
or thirsty gave thee drink? When did we see you a stranger,
and took you in, and naked and clothed you? Or when saw we thee
sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? Look, verse 40, And
the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily, verily, I
say unto you, inasmuch as you have done it to the least of
these my brethren, you have done it to me. You see what a great
privilege it is to serve one another, to love and to forgive
one another unto the Lord. As we serve one another, we actually
serve the Lord. So what a high privilege God
has given us to be called servants of the Lord. Now here's a third
example. Lazarus being raised from the
dead and sitting with the Lord Jesus Christ, Martha, God having
done a work of grace in our heart, serving the Lord Jesus Christ,
and that is a picture of that work of grace that God has done
in our heart, which causes us to love one another, to forgive
one another, and to serve one another. And then we come to
Mary in verse 3. Then Mary took a pound of ointment,
very costly, this spike nerd, very costly, anointed the feet
of the Lord Jesus, wiped his feet with her hair, and the house
was filled with this perfume from this ointment of which she
anointed the Lord Jesus Christ. Mary sitting at His feet, bowed
before Him, I'm sure just hanging on every word that the Lord speaks. And in worship, she saves up
this amount of whatever, this pound of this special ointment,
and she applies it to the Lord. knowing that very soon the Lord
is going to give His life for her sin. Now, this matter of
worship is only by the sovereign and powerful grace of God that
any sinner is brought to the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ.
and made to bow before Him, to reverence Him, to own Him, and
to confess Him as God and Savior. It's only by His grace. I like
what Thomas said over in John chapter 20, My Lord and my God. To bow at His feet. Now, this
is not something we do physically. Would that be impossible in our
day? But in our heart, spiritually, bowed before Him, not in rebellion,
arrogance and pride, but bowed before Him in humility, bowed
before Him, as He says, He's dying to them of a broken heart.
Save us such as be of a contrite spirit, to bow before Him looking
unto Him, trusting Him for all of salvation, to accomplish all
righteousness for us, to fulfill all Scripture for us, and to
put away our sin. Do we look to any other but to
the Lord Jesus Christ? Now we understand this, by our
sinful nature, we only have admiration of self-worship. Self-love, self-glory,
loving darkness rather than light, only boasting of our accomplishments,
only bragging about our righteousness, like the Pharisees of old did. God, I thank you I'm not like
other men. I do this, I fast, I tithe, I
give alms to the poor. They had the same problem Judas
had. You see, it's all about self-glory and self-worship. And that's us by nature. Again,
it's only by the sovereign grace of God that we're made to count
all of our righteousnesses as dung, filthy rags before God. Now, let's turn and read it one
more time, Philippians chapter 3. We've read this, I don't know
how many times, but many, many, many times. But it is worth repeating
again. And this is what the Lord brings
us to. You remember the story of Saul of Tarsus. One day he
thought he was really somebody. Called himself a Pharisee of
the Pharisees. Bragged about how he kept the
Law. Till one day he met the Lawgiver. Till one day he met
the Lord Jesus Christ. And then he counted everything
that he thought one time recommended him to God. Everything that he
thought was gained to him, he all counted it all as loss, and
nothing, and dumb, that he may win Christ. He says in verse
7 of Philippians 3, What things were gained to me? Those I counted
loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, now I count all
things but loss. For the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I've suffered the loss of
all things, and I count all things that I've lost as nothing, dumb. that I may win Christ and be
found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the
law, but that which is through the faithfulness of Christ, the
faith of Christ. You see, righteousness is not
by my faithfulness, but by the faithfulness of Christ, the righteousness
which is of God by faith, that is, looking to the Lord Jesus
alone. Unless the Lord is pleased to
bring us about in our heart, True conviction and true conversion
will never, no, never bow at the Lord's feet in true faith,
in true worship, looking only to Him for salvation alone, resting
in Him alone for all our righteousness before God. He's the only thing. The Lord Jesus is the only person,
rather, that recommends us unto God. Christ is the Lord, our
righteousness. And it is our delight and honor
to bow at his feet, to own him, to worship him, and to love him
in our heart. Three people to whom God had
done a work of grace. He visited their house. He visited
their heart. He gave them a new heart, a new
nature. He gave them life in Christ and
love for Him and faith to Him. And then we see the contrast
of Judas. Verse 4. Judas had been with
the Lord in a public ministry for three years or more. Judas
heard everything the Lord had taught. Judas saw the miracles
that the Lord had wrought. Judas was even sent out to preach
the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. But Judas was never one
of God's own. Judas was never one of the elect
of God. The Lord simply chose him and
used him and threw him away as every reprobate sinner rightly
deserves, which should betray him. And he said, verse 5, Why
was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given
to the poor? Now, he puts forth seemingly
some kind of a good motive, doesn't he? Well, we've got to take care
of the poor. You know, Mary, you're really
wasting your money on serving the Lord. Now, we've got to take
care of these poor people. So his motive seems right. His motive in most circles would
pass as something admirable and good. But God the Holy Spirit
knows his heart. Look at verse 6. This he said
not because he cared for the poor. He didn't have any concern
for the poor. The only thing he was concerned
about was his pocketbook. Because he was a thief. He was
a thief. He was born a thief. He died
a thief, and God will condemn him throughout all eternity because
of what he is. He's a thief because of what
he is. He's a sinner who had no mercy, and he had the bag
that was bare, and he bare, he carried, he kept what was put
therein. Now here we see the true revelation
and character of a traitor. named Judas. Judas rebukes Mary
for what he thought was a wasteful action, taking a very costly
ointment, of which he said, well, this could have been sold for
300 pence. Someone said that was a whole
year's salary in that day. You know, you can never waste
anything serving the Lord. He's worthy of everything that
we have. We never waste anything, time,
money, strength in serving the Lord. But here is a character
of a religious lost man. Oh, he's religious, but he has
no love. He's religious, but the love
of money has gripped his heart. Look again back at John chapter
6. John chapter 6. Now, the Lord again gives this
unto us to teach us. In John chapter 6. The Lord,
after Peter's confession in verse 69 of John 6, "...we believe,
and we are sure, thou art the Christ, the Son of the living
God." And the Lord answered and said, "...have not I chosen you
twelve, and one of you the devil?" Now the Lord knew. The Lord knew
exactly who Judas was. This he spake of Judas Iscariot,
the son of Simon, for it was he that should betray him, being
one of the twelve. Now turn over to John 13 verse
2. John 13 verse 2, And supper being
ended, the devil having put into the heart of Judas Iscariot Simon's
son to betray the Lord. Simon was left defenseless against
Satan. The Lord didn't intercede for
him, the Lord didn't pray for him. Judas took sides with Satan
and against the Lord Jesus Christ, betrayed him, sold him out for
thirty pieces of silver. Someone said thirty pieces of
silver in that day was the price for a common slave. Again, This
is what we are by our sinful nature, children of wrath, even
as others. By natures, we're traitors to
the Lord. And what we will remain unless
the Lord is pleased to intercede for us, unless the Lord is pleased
to call us from this bondage and darkness and ignorance to
the saving light and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Judas
said that his motive was to feed the poor, but the Scriptures
reveal unto us his real motive. The Scripture reveals unto us
his real interest, greed, and self-promotion, for God says
that he was a thief. Oh my friend, may God be pleased
to do for us what we cannot and will not do for ourselves. Give
us love for Christ. Now I want you to notice something
here. What happens? Here, Judas jumps all over Mary,
criticizes and condemns her for not caring for the poor. condemns
her because she worshipped and anointed the Lord Jesus Christ,
and look what happens. Guess who comes to her defense?
Verse 7, the Lord said, Leave her alone. The Lord Jesus Christ
jumps and comes to her defense, and He says, Against the day
of my death, my burial, has she done this, and she has kept this
unto this day. The Good Shepherd here defends
the sheep, doesn't He? He sees the wolves coming in
sheep's clothing and he defends this beloved of God. The Lord quickly comes in Mary's
defense. He sharply rebukes Judas and
commends Mary. Thank God! Now, think about this. Remember what the Lord said to
Peter? Satan had desired that he may
sift you, that he may have you and sift you like wheat. But
I prayed for you, that your faith fail not." Thank God we have
an eternal advocate and mediator with the Father, the Lord Jesus
Christ, who right now, think about it, right now, intercedes
for us. He's able to save us forevermore
to the uttermost thing that He ever lives to make intercession
for us. When we sin, we have an advocate
with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. Now, I want to
point out one other thing and I'll let you go. Look at verse
7 again closely. The Lord said to Judas, you leave
her alone. Don't you touch her. Don't you
criticize her. Against the day of my death,
my burial, my crucifixion, has she kept this in remembrance
of that death that day." Now there's something here that we
cannot overlook. Mary did what she did in anticipation
of the Lord Jesus Christ dying to put away her sin. We see that
clearly. Putting away her sin and that
of God's people. Call his name Jesus, he shall
save his people from their sin. Mary, who loved to sit and listen
at the Lord's feet, the Lord's teaching, perhaps she had more
insight to the Lord's atonement, to the Lord's crucifixion and
death than the disciples had at that time. Now how can you
say that, preacher? You remember back in Matthew
16 when the Lord declared unto the disciples, I must go to Jerusalem,
I must be betrayed, I must be cast out, I must die, I must
be raised again. And Peter said, oh no, no, no,
no, no, don't do that! Don't die! And here Mary, sitting
at his feet and listening to the Lord, knows more at this
time than what Peter knew about the Lord's death. Peter said,
no, don't die. Mary says, in anticipation of
your death, I'm going to anoint you. and worship you as my dying
substitute." Now, our Lord knew exactly why He came. He said,
I'm come to lay down my life for the sheep. He knew exactly
when He would die. Look over in John chapter 13,
verse 1. Now before the feast of the Passover,
when Jesus knew that His hour was come. His hour was come. that he should depart out of
this world unto the Father. What's he talking about? Talking
about his crucifixion. It didn't sneak up on him. He
knew the hour, the place, the time appointed of the Father.
Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto
the end. Our Lord knew exactly why he
came, he knew exactly when he would die, and he knew exactly
what he would accomplish. Turn back to John chapter 10.
He knew exactly what he would accomplish. The thief cometh,
look at verse 10, John 10. The thief cometh not but for
to steal, steal, to kill, to destroy. I am come that they
might have life, and have it more abundantly. I'm the good
shepherd, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Now, do you see, do you see Like
Mary did, do you see the absolute necessity of the Lord Jesus Christ
dying to put away your sin? There's no other way that atonement
can be made for your sin. than by the Lord Jesus Christ
dying in our room and in our stead, putting away our sin. And this is exactly what He did. Without His atonement for our
sin, we have no salvation. Without His atonement for our
sin, we have no justifying righteousness before God. Without the Lord
Jesus Christ shedding His blood, there is no remission. The blood
of Christ cleanses us from all our sin. Now, leave her alone. Against the day of my death,
she hath kept this day unto the day of my death. For the poor you always have
with you, but me you do not have always. The Lord, upon the anticipation
of his soon departure by the way of the cross, says to those
in the house, you will always have the poor with you, but me,
I will not be physically with you all the time. I'm going to
die, go away to the Father. God will give us, as his church,
opportunities to minister and to help those who are in need,
and we should. As we have therefore, says in Galatians 6, as we have
therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially
to the household of faith. But more importantly than giving
to the poor and helping the poor, and that's a good thing. I'm
not criticizing that at all. The Lord said you'll have opportunity
to do that. But more importantly than to
giving to the poor and helping those in need, more importantly
is a matter of worship. of our great God and Savior,
more importantly, is a matter of preaching the gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ, than seeing after the poor and raising, which
would be greater ministry, to have a soup kitchen here and
to feed the poor, or to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ?