Memorial Day: Lest we Forget! 1 May 26, 2013

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An Act of Honor 3

A Mother Remembers her son. 4

Memory is important to keep us on the right course. 5

What will your memorial be? Matt. 26:13-26

Note: Matthew 26 has 75 verses

In these 75 verses of chapter 26 of Matthew, we have record of 1. The plot to kill Jesus - Mt 26:1- 5,14-16Mt 26: Jesus anointed at Bethany - Mt 26:6-13 –Mt 26: The last supper - Mt 26:17-35 –Mt 26:17-35

4. The garden of Gethsemane - Mt 26:36-46 –Mt 26: Betrayal and arrest - Mt 26:47-56Mt 26: Before Caiaphas and council - Mt 26:57-68 –Mt 26: Peter denies Jesus - Mt 26:69-75Mt 26:69-75

Jesus last days on the earth… 1. “Having instructed his disciples and the Jews by his discourses, 2. Edified them by his example, 3. Convinced them by his miracles, 4. He now prepares to redeem them by his blood!” (Clarke)

Today, THE ANOINTING THE ANOINTING OF JESUS OF JESUS V.13 Verily I say unto you, Where soever the gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached… Importance of preaching the gospel of Christ. Matt. 28:18-20 Mark 16:15-16 I Cor. 15:1-4 Rom. 1:16

What this woman hath done This woman…this particular woman…. What she hath done…important to do something in life… This will be told in the whole world for a Memorial of her. It won’t be forgotten… It will be remembered…what she did..

Who is ‘this woman’? We know from John 12 that this woman was Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha. Mary, who sat at the feet of Jesus (Luke 10:39), made this extravagant display of love and devotion to Jesus

Where did she come? “Simon the leper is otherwise unknown to us. He was presumably a well-known local figure, perhaps one whom Jesus had cured (as one who was still a leper could not entertain guests to dinner) but whose nickname remained as a reminder of his former disease.” (France)

What did she do? V. 6 She lived in Bethany (Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper V.7. There came unto him a woman…. a) She had an alabaster box of very precious ointment,..Something very valuable.. Something she could have gotten a good price for b) She poured it on his head.

What was the alabaster box of ointment? alabaster flask: “It had no handles and was furnished with a long neck which was broken off when the contents were needed... We may fairly deduce that this perfume was costly. Jewish ladies commonly wore a perfume flask suspended from a cord round the neck, and it was so much a part of them that they were allowed to wear it on the sabbath.” - Morris

Why this waste???? i. “What they call waste, Jesus calls ‘a beautiful thing.’” (Carson) ii. “Is anything wasted which is all for Jesus? It might rather seem as if all would be wasted which was not given to him.” Quotation

She did it for My burial: Even if she did not understand the full significance of what she did, Mary’s act said something that the disciples didn’t say or do. She gave Jesus the love and attention He deserved before His great suffering. She understood more because she was in the place of greatest understanding – being at the feet of Jesus.

Kings were anointed. Priests were anointed. Each of these would have been true in the case of Jesus, yet He claimed that she anointed Him for His burial.

His Disciples rebuke her V.8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? V.9 (Look what could have been done with it!) “For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor”..They would have done something else. …They were saying that this should have been sold and the money given to the poor.

You should have done this or that!..We criticize too much!..We need to have the right motive behind what we do and be careful about your Criticism of others! We often criticize others for the things they fail to do, but what do we do? NOTHING!

V.10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them.. Why trouble ye the woman? For she hath wrought a good work upon me...Immediately Jesus called what she had Done a ‘ good work’. V.11 For ye have the poor always with you, but me ye have not always...There is just a small frame of work time that we all have. Do something for the Lord.

V. 12 Then Jesus tells them the real purpose of this lovely woman’s act: “For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.” …she was really thinking of me! What she did was so valuable…she was aoninting my body with oil, preparing it in this way for my burial!

v. 13 “ Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.”

There was such a woman who did this extraordinary thing for Jesus! 1. It was done! 2. It was done for Jesus! 3. It was done by a woman! 4. It was done for a purpose! 5. It was valuable. Jesus deserves the best that any of us can give.

Examples of Human Memorials : What did Timothy have? A grandmother (Lois) and a mother Eunnice) 2 Tim. 1:5 Faith in this young man because of Their devotion to his spiritual life? What are you doing for your children, Grandchildren regarding their spiritual Life?

What example are you setting? Mtt. 5:16; Eph. 6:1-4

Paul He set one: 2 Tim. 4:7,8 I fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. What are you setting? 1. Faithfully attending worship of God. John 4:23,24; Heb. 10:25 2. Committed to the Lord. Gal.2:20

Jesus…our Master, our Lord. John 9:4. I must work the works of him That sent me, while it is day, the night Cometh when no man shall work. Follow me! Matt. 7:21-23 I Pet. 2:21 For even hereunto were you called, because Christ suffered for us, Leaving us an example, that ye should Follow his steps.

What will your memorial be? A BIG TOMB, EMBLISHED WITH YOUR NAME..AND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE? Helping an orphan child? Be gentle and kind to an elderly mother,father, husband,wife, brother,sister?

Preaching the word of God? Serving as a faithful elder ? Loving an unlovable person?

What will your Memorial Be?