A Meal to Reveal the Heart - Part B

Here's the disciples and here's what Jesus said. They sort of completely went over their head.

He said it a couple times, huh, oh cool. They didn't even get it. She understood it. The question is, why and how did Mary understand it when some others so close did not?

Welcome to Connect with Skip Weekend Edition. You ever known someone who doesn't really get jokes very easily? You tell them something funny and wait until a few minutes later when you hear them chuckle as the pieces come together in their mind. Well, as we'll continue our study of John, Jesus' disciples come off kind of like that person.

You might call it slow in the uptake. It seems that no matter what Jesus told them about himself and his plans, they didn't quite get it. And if they didn't understand Jesus himself, where does that leave us? Well today in Connect with Skip Weekend Edition, Skip Heitzig continues his teaching, A Meal to Reveal the Heart. But before we begin, let's see what's going on in the Connect with Skip Resource Center this month. Is the end near?

That's a question on many minds. And that's why Pastor Skip Heitzig spent many months in 2023 presenting 26 full length messages in his The End is Near series. The second coming of Jesus Christ dominates the Bible next to the subject of faith. The coming of Christ in the future is the most discussed topic in the book. To complement this excellent series, a study guide from Skip is now available. This study guide is over 100 pages in length and covers all 26 messages in the series. The End is Near study guide includes notes, summaries, and questions for group or personal study.

We need to understand the times and this study guide will aid in this effort. With your gift of $50 or more to Connect with Skip Heitzig, you will receive a copy of the End is Near study guide from Skip's in-depth 26-part series. Your gift will support the production and expansion of the Connect with Skip broadcast. Call 1-800-922-1888 or go online to connectwithskip.com.

That's 1-800-922-1888 or connectwithskip.com. John chapter 12 is the focus of today's study so be sure to open your Bibles there as we join Pastor Skip Heitzig for the conclusion of our message. You've probably heard of that clever cute little legend about all the tools in Jesus carpentry shop having a convention one day and it was presided over by Brother Hammer and as Brother Hammer began to noisily share his view the other tools protested saying that Brother Hammer needed to leave because he was too noisy and Brother Hammer said well if I have to leave then Brother Screw also has to leave because you got to turn him around and around to get him to do anything. Brother Screw then took umbrage to that and he said well if you want me to leave then Brother Plain also has to be kicked out of this meeting because well look at him he has no depth all of his work is surface work and Brother Plain piped up and said well you want me to leave then Brother Rule also has to leave because he's always measuring everything and everyone by his own standard he thinks he's the only one right.

Brother Rule spoke and he said well okay but if you want me to leave you got to kick out Brother Sandpaper because well he's so rough and he rubs people the wrong way. As they were arguing in walked the carpenter of Nazareth, Jesus, to build a pulpit of wood from which to preach and he employed the hammer and the screw and the plane and the rule and the sandpaper all of the tools together to make this singular work of ministry. So we have three hearts they're grateful hearts they're unique in their relationship to Christ and so we have that first dynamic diverse relationship. Here's the second dangerous discipleship. Now everything's good so far and then Judas speaks and ruins the whole perfect scene. Verse four, one of his disciples notice that Judas Iscariot Simon's son who would betray him said why was this fragrant oil not sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor? John gives us the rest of the story in verse six. This he said not that he cared for the poor but because he was but because he was a thief.

The word is kleptase. It means somebody who steals by a carefully thought out and devised plan in advance. He had this all thought out. He was a thief and had the money box and he used to take what was put in it. Now chronologically in the flow of time these are the first words Judas speaks in the New Testament and on the surface they sound pretty good. Just a couple notes about Judas a little profile. Judas was the only disciple that we know of not from Galilee. He was Judas Iscariot which means he was from the town of Kidiot which was down in Judea not up north.

So he was from the lower regions around Jerusalem that area. In the New Testament the gospel writers whenever they mention Judas always mention two things about him. Number one he was a disciple and number two he was a traitor.

He betrayed Christ. So heinous was that crime that forever that would be mentioned whenever Judas's name would be mentioned. By the way if you were to look up the word Judas in a dictionary you discover it's a synonym for treachery. A person can be called a Judas if he's a traitor in a friendship. It's entered the human language as a metaphor a synonym for treachery. That's why you'll never find parents naming their children Judas. Can you think of one? All right here's my son Judas that is never going to go over well.

You'll pick lots of other biblical names and you'll leave that one out. Well his remark as I mentioned sounds so noble. It sounds like well this is the guy you want around. This is the guy who says now I would I just want to save us a little bit of money here.

I'm all about doing that. But he was a dangerous disciple and John tells us why. He was a thief. Now here's Judas who misinterprets a gift. Please understand this. He sees an extravagant or I should say lavish gift as an extravagant waste. Judas has a bitter view of life because Judas has a bitter heart. Judas has a bitter view of life because Judas has a bitter heart. What a man sees with his eyes depend on what is going on inside that man's heart.

You know what it's like. If you like somebody they can do no wrong. If you don't like someone even if they do right every little action they do is misinterpreted by you as some ulterior motive. Something else is going on.

They're doing it for another reason. That's a bitter heart. J.C. Ryle commentator writes that anyone could follow Christ as a disciple for three years see all of his miracles hear all of his teaching receive at his hand repeated kindnesses and be counted as an apostle and yet prove rotten in the heart in the end. All of this at first sight appears incredible and impossible. Yet the case of Judas shows plainly plainly that this can be. Few things perhaps are so little realized as the extent of the fall of man. This is dangerous discipleship and dangerous discipleship is when you try to follow Christ critically and hypocritically. Critical of people, hypocritically before God. Judas had a good mouth and a bad heart. He said the right things and people go wow that's good he's trying to save us some money.

Ulterior motive he had a bad heart didn't care for the poor he was a thief. Judas is a great illustration of something Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount. You'll recognize it I'll paraphrase it Jesus said so why do you care so much about the spec in your brother's eye when you've got a telephone pole hanging out of your eye that's a paraphrase.

You're so worried about other people's problems when you've got bigger problems of your own. Here's Judas so narrow so critical so harsh toward others critical hypocritical before God. My brother's a golf pro out in Palm Springs and he tries to help me every chance he gets to no avail but he tries to help and he told me to get bigger clubs bigger drivers and this is what he said he goes Skip the new drivers the new clubs today his words are more forgiving I like that term more forgiving explain what you mean he goes well they're they're bigger so you know it's harder to miss and because they're big and hollow he says they have a bigger sweet spot that means you can hit the ball toward the heel or the toe of the club and still have a reasonable chance of getting a decent shot so he's trying to help me once again more forgiving bigger sweet spot isn't that a great way to describe a Christian their heart is so large they have such a big sweet spot they're more forgiving some people who name the name of Christ their sweet spot is so small it's indiscernible it's not enlarged they're not forgiving that's Judas he jumped to conclusions whenever you jump to conclusions you're sure to have a bad landing he does which brings us to the next dynamic and that is divine stewardship Jesus now weighs in on the matter verse seven Jesus said let her alone now those are good words to a critical person you now have scriptural precedent the words of Jesus himself leave her alone bug off go away let it go first thing he says to Judas let her alone she has kept this for the day of my burial for the poor you have with you always but me you do not have always first thing he does is affirm Mary now as it turns out Mary won't be able to anoint Jesus' body after he dies in fact the women who will come to the tomb early on resurrection morning will come with spices to anoint the body they'll discover Jesus already is out of the tomb he was resurrected so Jesus says she's doing this and she saved this for my burial this is what he means Judas this is not a lavish or extravagant waste this is the living prophecy Mary knows something that has escaped everybody else around here's knowledge and view and that is that I'm going to die and be buried now I want you to think about that it seems that Mary knew that Jesus was going to die and I say that that's noteworthy because even the disciples didn't get that although Christ told them plainly on a couple occasions and the last time he told them was on the way up to Bethany he's going up from Jericho the other accounts tell us and he tells his disciples boys I'm going to Jerusalem I'm going to be arrested I'm going to be beaten they're going to kill me I'm going to be buried on the third day I'm going to rise again from the dead they didn't get it it's like here's the disciples and here's what Jesus said just sort of completely went over their head he said it a couple times and huh oh cool they didn't even get it she understood it the question is why and how did Mary understand it when some others so close did not well here's perhaps the secret where do we always find Mary when we discover her on the pages of scripture at the feet of Jesus all three occasions the first time at the feet of Jesus luke chapter 10 the second time at the funeral of Lazarus down at Jesus feet grieving but at the feet nonetheless here washing Jesus feet wiping them with her hair when you're at the feet of Jesus and you observe and you listen and you study everything he says there's that special connection where you understand his plan and his will you say okay well that's cool Skip but Jesus is gone physically I can't sit at Jesus feet today but did you know it's a Hebrew idiom to sit at somebody's feet means to learn from that person to be the disciple to listen to the words when you study the bible and you make that a daily activity where you're you're studying you're reading you're taking it in you're sitting at Jesus feet and you will learn his ways and learn his will we used to sing or some of us years ago this little homespun hymn simple words if you want to know the power of God get down at Jesus feet if you want to know the love of God get down at Jesus feet if you want to know the truth of God get down at Jesus feet get down sinner get down saint get down at Jesus feet that's where Mary abode at the feet of Jesus so Christ affirmed Mary she's kept this from the day of my burial and notice also he rebukes Judas for the poor you have with you always but me you do not have always what does that mean is he is he endorsing poverty is he endorsing apathy toward those who are in poverty no first of all he's quoting scripture Deuteronomy 15 says there will always be some among you who are poor therefore freely share in other words you will have an opportunity all the time so always be open to share because of the poverty that exists in this world what Christ is doing to Judas is setting forth a divine stewardship he's saying you got to keep your priorities here's the principle if I may paraphrase there will always be opportunities for generous activity but you have got to seize the opportunities for personal intimacy with God there's always going to be opportunity for generous activity helping the poor but you've got to seize those opportunities for personal intimacy there's a principle just as Jesus was only going to be alive before his death and burial one week Mary knew he was going to the cross Mary takes care of this sort of giving the roses before the funeral instead of bringing them to the family afterwards showing Jesus her love likewise we also have very unique opportunities only afforded us in this life we got to seize those opportunities while we're on this side of heaven this is the time to write checks and give money to God's work and share our valuable possessions to get the gospel out this is the opportunity we have to help people who are struggling get into heaven by sharing the gospel with them so as you evaluate your life and I evaluate my life what a value do we have that we can give to Christ for his honor and glory now three so far three dynamics that we have seen let's close with a fourth there's diabolical censorship last two verses now a great many of the Jews knew that he was there and they came came not for Jesus' sake only but that they might also see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead this was big news when was the last time a dead guy got up in your neighborhood and so just them coming to Bethany unannounced a few people seeing it here and there spread the news around now a crowd is gathered the camera pans to the outside of the house they're eating and there's this group that's gathered around looking in the windows check it out dude there's Lazarus eating a falafel he's alive I heard about this but he's alive there's the evidence and then we're told but the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus you see how diabolical and sinister this is remember how Caiaphas last time remember just rewind the tape a bit Caiaphas announced to the council it's expedient that one man should die for the nation and not the whole nation perish well now it seems that you need to have two men die because the greatest piece of evidence to the power of Christ that's causing all these people to believe is the dead guy who's now eating the falafels he's the evidence and so if you don't accept the evidence you got to get rid of it that's what they try to do so there you have all of those various hearts at one meal Lazarus, Martha, Mary, Judas the indifferent crowd just sort of scoping it out and the chief priests who so hate Jesus that they want to even destroy the evidence of a changed life if I were to put all of what we just read this study of hearts down to one irreducible minimum one bottom line I would say this it's impossible to be neutral concerning Jesus Christ Jesus said you are either for me or you're against me you help gather or you help scatter and today you might love him you might serve him like Martha or Mary you've got your own relationship but it's real it's dynamic or you might be like the crowd looking in the window indifferent or like Judas and the chief priests who hate Christ and abhor him but somewhere along the line you will make a decision regarding him you must make a stand about this one and it's the stand that you take that will determine not his destiny but yours Peter was also at the meal in Acts chapter 4 he will announce to this city of Jerusalem for there is no other name given among men under heaven by which we must be saved except for the name of Jesus so how's your heart the Bible says keep your heart with all diligence out of it perceive the very issues of life that's your core that's the center of who you are the authentic you where is it with the Lord back in 1954 before I was born Robert Boyd Munger wrote a little booklet a little tract booklet and it's entitled my heart Christ's home I don't have time to really tell you about it or read it to you but just think of that thought my heart Christ's home what a possibility what a possibility if I were to invite Jesus Christ personally into my heart into my life if he were to reside and abide as his home into my life how would I be different and how would others around me be different my sin forgiven a new purpose and a new passion put into my life awesome thought so where does our heart stand with God today that's a question every human will need to answer because as Skip Heitzig reminded us it's impossible to remain neutral about Jesus we either love him or hate him it's an important reminder to consider and before we go today here's Skip and Lenya with some closing thoughts Skip you pointed out that there were these groups that or the idea that you should either be for Jesus or against Jesus in other words is there no neutral ground can I just go yeah Jesus was a great guy and you know he wasn't God or you know can I put him in a category with other people can you elaborate you know to help people decide are you for or against or is that even possible there are certain issues that it's impossible to be neutral on because if you're neutral you're part of the problem so when Jesus made the statement if you're not for me you're against me let me let me give you a different context or our listeners that will help understand during World War II there were death camps you could just forget about them and not say anything and that's just your own personal opinion your own idea that's the ideology in this country but if you didn't speak out you become part of the problem so if you know the solution and if genuinely people are separated from God for eternity without Christ and they go to a hell where they will be punished eternally for their sins it is incumbent upon us to speak out and to rescue them and to help them understand that this is a death camp situation I'm speaking out and you can't be neutral over this thing so otherwise you're part of the problem look Jesus Christ divided time in history and we still make that attestation every time we write a check so if if he's right then you need to be on the right side if he's wrong then yeah it's irrelevant but to make the kind of claims he made he doesn't allow room for neutrality there there is no neutrality because either he's a nutcase or he's a megalomaniac or he's the Lord I mean Lord lyre lunatic as C.S. Lewis once put well thanks for sharing with us Skip and Lenya and as we bring our time to a close if you'd like a copy of the teaching you heard today a meal to reveal the heart it's available for just four dollars plus shipping and it's easy to order when you call 1-800-922-1888 or if you prefer to write you can get in touch at P.O. Box 95707 Albuquerque New Mexico 87199 and encouraging new teaching is heading your way next time so I hope you can join us right here on Connect with Skip weekend edition a presentation of Connection Communications. Connecting you to God's never changing truth. In ever-changing times.