July 18, 2010

If the power of the Gospel is to be fully realized in the life of a believer, that believer must first be emptied. The principle of the Gospel is always “first death, then life.” Mary of Bethany took her most precious possession (the alabaster jar of spikenard) and poured it out upon Jesus’s feet. Those near the scene grumbled that the cost of such a precious treasure was wasted in that fashion, but Jesus responded by declaring that such an act was a clear enunciation of the Gospel life. Taking on the life of Jesus Christ comes with a stiff cost: it means giving up everything. But let’s not forget the fact that in giving up everything, we are getting the fullness of life in Jesus Christ.

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sermon notes

And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
Acts 23:11

And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.
Acts 26:31-32

THE WINDS OF THE FAIR HAVENS
And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea. And (Paul) said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.
Acts 27:8,10

THE STRIPPING OF THE SPIRIT

1. The Non-Essentials
   But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. . . And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; – Acts 27:14,18
2. The Replaceables
   And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. – Act 27:19 KJV

And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of [any man’s] life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
Acts 27:20-25

1. The Life Boat
   Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under color as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship, Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
   Acts 27:29-31

Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
Acts 27:32

TAKING HOLD OF THE PROMISE – THE LAST SUPPER
Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.
Acts 27:34-35

1. Forsaking the Cargo
   And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea. Acts 27:38
2. Breaking up the Boat
   And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves . . . And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.
   Acts 27:41,44

THE TREASURE AND THE PEARL
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
Matthew 13:44-46

POURED OUT LIKE OINTMENT
And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she broke the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
Mark 14:3-9