March 27, 2024
Wednesday Evening Service

As Jesus entered into Jerusalem on Sunday, we experienced with Him the joy of those celebrating the coming of their long-awaited Messiah.  Many of these believed Jesus had come to overthrow the Roman government and establish Israel as the new head of civilization.  Even in the celebration, a dark cloud overshadows the happiness.  Jesus weeps as He thinks of what might have been had Israel faithfully followed God’s calling for them but it was not to be.

We saw Jesus’ righteous anger as He cleansed the Temple of the money changers who were taking advantage of those who had come to sincerely worship the Lord.  We mentioned how it is time the church also stands up against the evil of today with that same righteous anger.  We watched as Jesus conflicted with the religious leaders pointing out their transgressions through parables about the “two sons” and the “vineyard landowner.”  These are two of them many encounters Jesus has with these leaders this week.  In our reading through Mark’s well laid out gospel, Jesus shared many parables of this time of the week as He taught daily in the Temple.  I want to look at a few of those tonight.

Parable of the Marriage Feast:

Mat 22:1-14 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: (2)” The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, (3) and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.  (4)  Again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding." '  (5)  But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business.  (6)  And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.  (7)  But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.  (8)  Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.  (9)  Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.'  (10)  So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.  (11)  "But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.  (12)  So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless.  (13)  Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'  (14)  "For many are called, but few are chosen."

 

            Through this parable Jesus reveals that salvation will opened up to “whosoever will.”  All are invited in, but notice you still must meet certain criteria (wedding garment) to be part of the feast.  To be saved, just an invitation is not enough; “many are called but few are chosen.”  You must follow through with action.  You must accept the gift and put on the wedding garment (the righteousness of Christ) to participate.  That is done through the 5 Steps of Salvation, specifically from baptism.

 

Gal 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

            When we spiritually die in the waters of baptism we arise to walk in the newness of life.  We are given Jesus’ royal robe of righteousness (the wedding garment) to cover over our own of filthy rags.  When God sees us now, He sees Jesus’ righteousness not ours making us acceptable to Him.

 

The Greatest Commandment:

 

Mat 22:34-40But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.  (35)  Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, (36)” Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"  (37)  Jesus said to him, 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'  (38)  This is the first and great commandment.  (39)  And the second is like it: 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'  (40)  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

          Jesus summarizes all that He expects of us in these two simple commands.  Simple to understand, but sometimes difficult to apply.  Love God and love your neighbors as Christ loved you.  Everything else falls into one of these two categories.  The truth is if you fully obey the first of these commands, everything else will fall into place anyway.

            Several of the parables are teaching on the end times as most of Chapter 24 and 25 dwell on the future events.  We don’t have time tonight to get into it too deeply but I wanted to point out two specific ones that are easily understood and applied.  Jesus stays focused in the moment and continues to teach even though His time is short.

 

The Days of Noah:

 

Mat 24:36-44 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.  (37)  But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  (38)  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, (39) and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  (40)  Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.  (41)  Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.  

 

(42)  Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.  (43)  But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  (44)  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

            We know Jesus will be returning at the end of the Tribulation, but many believe Jesus here to be speaking of the Rapture of the Church.  Many feel it will occur before the Tribulation Period protecting the church from the wrath that is coming.  If so, this could come at any time as nothing else needs to occur for this to happen. The key point here no matter when the Rapture will occur is to be ready.  The people in Noah’s time got up the morning of the flood and had a normal day planned totally unaware that the world they knew was about to end.  It will be that same where when Jesus returns as many will be totally unaware that anything is happening.  Church we need to “Watch Therefore” and not be caught by surprise.  I hope the Spirit within you has already warned you that time is short because I believe it is.  Wake up each morning with the thought that today may be the day the Lord returns!  Jesus’ next parable strongly supports that directive.

 

Two Servants:

 

Mat 24:45-51 "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?  (46)  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.  (47)  Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.  (48)  But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,’ (49) and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, (50) the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, (51) and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

            There is a reason God has not revealed to us the day or the hour of His coming.  He does not want us to procrastinate doing the right things, but wants us to live every day with His coming in mind.  Here at the end Jesus continues to instruct us to be ready.  He who has an ear let him hear.  Hopefully these teaching move us to more aware and prepared that time is short.

            To close tonight I want to look at an intimate act of worship demonstrated by a woman whom Jesus prophesies will be held up as a memorial to her.

 

Jesus Anointed with oil:

 

Mat 26:6-13 And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, (7) a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table.  (8)  But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste?  (9)  For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor."  

(10)  But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me.  (11)  For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always.  (12)  For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial.  (13)  Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her."

            Many believe this to be Mary Magdalene whom Jesus removed seven evil spirits from; much forgiven much loved.  Notice she gave her most prized possession to her Lord as an act of worship to Him.  This really is the only account I can think of where someone actually does something very special just for Jesus.  Mary fully understood who He was, she knew she was in the presence of deity and she acted upon it.  She followed her heart and unashamedly gave her best to Him without regret or any care of what others thought or said.

            Why do we hold back when it comes to our acts of worship?

            Why do we sing songs of praise with only our lips instead of our heart? 

 Or worse, why do we allow the stones to speak for us so many times?

            We can yell and scream when our team wins a close game, but when we see God moving among us we remain calm, subdued and even unmoved at all.  Why is that?

  Do we really grasp who Jesus is?

How can you not get excited when you see Him moving in your life and in others’ lives?

We all too often become like the disciples who complained about Mary’s actions and want to stay inside of our self-made comfort zone and not venture outside our box.  Let’s be more like Mary.  If the Spirit moves you to do something, do it without worrying what others will say.  He is worthy and He inhabits the praise of His people.  Worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth.