Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world so that all may know Christ. Join us now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church, located in Kernersville, North Carolina. On this Sunday morning, Lord's Day. How many of you have been looking forward to getting back in church?
I've never preached to so many people who's been out of church. for two weeks, including myself. I know why Brother Daniel went to Florida because Not all the weather, but he knew I hadn't preached in two weeks. And I'm used to preaching every day, so he knew he better not show up. Amen.
But so good to be here. Always a joy to be at Kirwan and always enjoy the fellowship and the wonderful music, and it's just. a blessing to be in the house of the Lord today. And I want you to turn your Bible this morning to the book of Luke in chapter number seven. And also the book of Luke, chapter number eight, they're there side by side.
And I want to read just a few verses this morning to get us started and looking for the Lord to speak to our hearts today. And I would like to say, Brother Daniel said, tell everybody he misses you.
Well, we're sure he does down there in sunny Florida. Amen. But I appreciate him. You know, his mom and dad gave him a great name. Daniel.
There's only one man in the Bible. that God said had an excellent spirit. And that was Daniel. And I believe your pastor has that same spirit. How many of you thank God for the pastor?
Amen. And wonderful first lady, wonderful family. And if you found your places, look with me, please, here in Luke chapter 7. And in verse number 34, Luke chapter 7. And in verse, Number 34.
Jesus said, the Son of Man is come eating and drinking. And ye say, behold, A gluttonous man. and a wine bidber. A friend of publicans. and sinners.
Look in verse 37 of the same chapter. And behold a woman in the city. which was a sinner. When she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisees' house, Brought an alabaster box of ointment. Look with me in chapter number 8 now, verse number 2.
The Bible said, and certain women which had been healed. of evil spirits and infirmities Mary called Magdalene. out of whom went seven devils. Verse 3, and Joanna. The wife of Teusah, Herod's steward, and Susanna and many others.
Notice which ministered Unto him of their substance Let us bow for prayer. Father, we're thankful today. that you've allowed us to be back in the house of God. And Lord, all this bad weather we've been having, we're just so thankful. To be back in your house gathered together in one mind and one accord, seeking you to help us.
like I know that only you can. Father, as we pray, Lord do bless the pastor and First Lady and the family. Is there a way? Give them a time of refreshing. And then Lord, help us here this morning.
Like I know that only you can. I'm aware that without you, Lord, we can do nothing. All that's accomplished in this service today will give you the honor, the praise, and glory. In Jesus Christ's name, I pray. Amen and amen.
The first verse I read this morning from the book of Luke, chapter 7. And in verse Number 34, Jesus. by the Pharisee and the religious crowd. had been accused of several things. Nothing they said from their viewpoint was complimentary.
It was all derogatory. In verse 34, he's accused of being a gluttonous man. He's accused of being a wine bibber. He's accused of being a friend of publicans, that means crooked tax collectors. And then he was accused.
of being a friend to sinners. And all these accusations were given from the mouth of those that hated him. But I want to think about that last accusation, although it was given in mockery, although it was derogatory. That last statement rings true. In my heart this morning, the Bible said that Jesus.
Was a friend of sinners. Aren't you glad today that Jesus? is a friend of sinners. When I was lost and undone without Christ, I knelt in the sawdust under an old gospel tent. Called on the name of the Lord.
He could have passed me by, but I'm so glad that I found that day that Jesus was a friend to sinners. If you're lost today, you might think you don't have a friend in this world. But I promise you, you got a friend. And his name is Jesus. He's known to be a friend to sinners.
How many of you love a good story of redemption? How many of you love a good story of somebody? who just seems like everything is stacked against them. It seems like everybody's against them. and they don't seem to have hope.
But I'm glad that when Jesus meets a hopeless person, A person that everyone has turned their backs on. I'm glad that Jesus is a friend to that sinner. I want to talk to you this morning a little while. about a great Bible character. Her name is Mary.
According to our scripture, she's called Mary. The Bible said that Mary called Magdalene. Many get that confused because they think that Magdalene. Was Mary's last name. No, it was not her last name.
Magdalene speaks of where she came from. She came from a place Called Magdella. Magdella means nothing to us, but in Bible times, McDella was like Sien City. McDella was like Las Vegas. of our time.
That's where Mary came from. And the Bible said she was called Magdella. Can you imagine Mary when she was strong and when she was young and when she was beautiful and she showed up in a place? The Bible said they called her Macdella. What that means, they called her Sin City.
Can you imagine the announcement? Hey, everybody, Sin City's here. It'll be party time for sure now. We got Mary from Macdella. But you see, friends, the devil.
He likes to get people to see the attractiveness of sin and the glitter of sin and the pleasure of sin for a season. You know, the Bible never says that there's not pleasure in sin. There is pleasure in sin, but that pleasure is temporary. That pleasure is short-lived. But what a person finds in Jesus Christ, thank God it's not temporary.
Thank God it's permanent. And Jesus grants lasting satisfaction to all those that call upon his name. I want to talk to you about this character, this character, Mary from Macdella. Mary from Sien City, a little girl who grew up. on the other side of the tracks.
A little girl. Who grew up? having never went to Sunday school. Having never attended a church. Knew nothing about John 3:16, knew nothing about the good things of God.
Her whole life was against God. That was how she was raised. But the first thing, if we're going to study her life, We must understand her decline. You see, when Mary got involved in sin, The Bible tells us in the text in Luke chapter 8 and in verse number 2 that Mary got saved, but before her salvation, are y'all ready for this? Mary had living inside of her seven devils.
Seven devils. were inside this little girl from the other side of the tracks. And the Bible said she was healed. of those evil spirits. That means that when she met Jesus, Jesus got them devils out of her.
Aren't you glad that Jesus can get the devils out of demon-possessed people?
Someone asked, do I really believe people are possessed with devils?
Well, brother, there you are. This woman had seven devils. And when the Bible said she was healed of those evil spirits, what that means is this. Those evil spirits And that life of sin was taking her on a moral journey down the drain. You see, sinful living and demonic possession, nobody ever rises.
Nobody ever does better. They just keep doing worse and worse. Seeing It's like a snowball effect going down the side of a mountain. It doesn't stop. It just keeps going faster and keeps getting larger.
And friend, you just can't put the brakes on when you're hooked up in sin and possessed by the devil. It's a continual, ongoing process that takes a person. To the depths of depravity. But I'm glad a person that's possessed with devils. A person who's all tied up in sin.
Thank God none of that is a match for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. When Jesus met Mary, the little girl was seven devils. The little girl all wrapped up in sin, the little girl who had hit the bottom. Thank God Jesus turned it all around. But notice in verse two, she was healed of something else.
She was not only healed of evil spirits, But according to verse number two of Luke chapter number eight, she was healed of infirmities. Infirmities speaks of physical affliction.
Now we all know everybody gets sick. man that's born of a woman. Is a few days and full of trouble. I might have to get sick. You may have to get sick.
But I don't want to get sick. because of sin destroying my life. That's what happened to Mary. Mary was in such a state of sin and demon possession. That it was affecting her physically.
It was not only taking her to the bottom morally, it was taking her to the bottom physically. The devil never tells the sinner that part. The devil doesn't tell you that sin will make you sick. He doesn't tell you that sin will make you old before your time. He doesn't tell you that sin will make you ugly, and that's what sin does.
This once was a beautiful young woman, but sin has taken her to the bottom. Sin has destroyed her life physically. I've been studying Mary Magdalene for years, and I believe a lot of the details. About Mary's conversion were intentionally not recorded because it was so, so bad. You say, Preacher, what do you mean?
Why do you think it was so bad? Did you hear me? Seven devils. Not one devil. Seven devils.
I was reading in the Bible just yesterday. You can find this in Matthew 17 and also in Mark chapter number 9. about a young boy. who had one devil in him. The Bible said he became a lunatic.
Because of the possession of one devil. His daddy. was trying to get him some help. And he brought this boy. to the Lord Jesus.
That boy with one devil? The dad told Jesus sometimes. That devil? would take him. What he meant by that, he would totally control him where the boy could not resist.
The Bible said Dan told Jesus. that the devil would take him. And the devil would cast him down and tear him. That means his bones would be breaking. to the point you could hear them break.
as he would hit the ground being possessed. with one devil. He would foam at the mouth. He would gnash with his teeth. He was shrill like a bird crying out.
And when he finally would get some senses, The Bible said that boy with one devil. He would pine away. He would be humiliated. He would be embarrassed. And he would run away and hide.
Dad told Jesus. Anytime we walk by some water, Them devils in him. Cast him in the water. trying to drown him. Jesus, every time we pass by a campfire, Them devil, that devil in him.
Casts him into the fire to destroy him. And friends, may we never forget. John 10, 10 about the devil, the thief. cometh not but for to steal. And to kill.
and to destroy. But Jesus said, I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. You mean one devil? Inside of a person. Could cause them to be suicidal?
Yes. You mean one devil? Inside of a person. would cause them to gnash their teeth. To the point they ground them to powder?
Yes. Do you believe that one devil Could cause a young man, a boy, to fall on the ground and his bones. Literally break to the point you can hear him breaking inside his body, yes. But friends, we're not talking about A woman with one devil. We're talking about a woman.
with seven devils. This woman. I can just imagine. She's lost so much weight. No doubt.
Before she got saved. She was under a hundred pounds. She was just like... A sack of bones. She was just like a skeleton.
with skin wrapped around it. And one day... They threw her to the ground. Those devils are breaking her bones. Those devils have cast her to the ground.
And the devil's in her no. This is the final blow. This is what's going to take Mary. Out of this world. I see your lady there.
Like a sack of bones. Like a skeleton with skin wrapped around it. She's trembling. She's convulsing. She's foaming at the mouth.
In reality, Mammy. is breathing her last breaths. But all at once A stranger appears. And she sees him coming her way. All it would Her eyes.
Fasten on his. And his eyes fasten on hers. I see him walk up to this little shriveled up dying woman. and look at her and says, hey. You look like...
You could use a friend. And aren't you glad? that Jesus is a friend to sinners. Whoo, thankful Lord, we might ought to do cartwheels this morning that her bad condition. Her depravity.
Her sickness. Her demon possession. all of her acts of ungodliness. Never stop Jesus. from loving her.
Never stop Jesus. From being a friend to her.
Well, the first thing we learn about Mary. is her decline. She's going down morally. And she's going down physically. And she's almost at the point of death.
But then comes... The greatest friend. That anyone has ever known the Lord Jesus Christ. But quickly, number two. If you study the life of Mary, You've got to understand not only her decline, But her disdain.
You see, when Mary got saved, And by the way, let me stop here, Mary. Is one of the most beautiful. names in the Bible. For a lady, would somebody say amen? That was Jesus' mama's name.
What a beautiful name she had. But most folks don't realize. what Mary's name really means. Mary's name means this. Mary means Surrounded by bitter people.
Her name means their bitterness. Not mine. And you know something, ladies and gentlemen? No sooner than Mary got delivered. She's getting her health back.
She's getting her beauty back. She's getting her strength back. And you think that everybody on this planet would applaud. Here's a woman without hope. A woman who doesn't have a chance.
But she's still surrounded. by bitter people in her life. If you still have your Bible, look with me there back in Luke chapter 7. And I want you to notice. When Mary made a trip.
After she got saved, to Simon the Pharisee's house. They were having a meal. Jesus was invited.
So Mary Magdalene went to this meal. If you have your Bible open, I want you to notice. The bitterness Shown toward Mary. as a new convert. Notice what it says.
And when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, He spake within himself, saying, This man. If he were a prophet, would have known who And what manner of woman is this that toucheth him? Notice what he said. For she is a sinner. She is a sinner.
Mary came, you know the story. She brought this alabaster box of ointment, and she's brought it to anoint Jesus Christ because she loved him so she couldn't get over what Jesus did for her. And she brought this fantastic gift to Jesus, and she's anointing him with this alabaster ointment. And according to the Bible, The old Pharisee looked and saw what she was doing. And he said this of Jesus.
If he were a prophet, He would know what manner. of woman this is. that toucheth him.
Well, you better believe he knew all about Mary Magdalene. And the old Pharisee noticed what he called her. Did y'all see it in the Bible? She. is a sinner.
Now, wait a minute, preacher. She just got saved a little bit ago, and God's given her life back, and God's given her strength back, and her beauty back. But you see, we've got to understand. There are people. that will never forgive you.
of your past. Although this woman was saved and forgiven and washed clean, there's an old Pharisee. that's holding her past life. Against her. If you still have your Bible in that same chapter, look in verse number 37.
Look at what God said about Mary. I told you what the Pharisees said. But let me tell you what God said. And how many of you know who really matters that says what? Like woo!
Verse 37. And behold, a woman in the city. God talking. God talking. And behold a woman in the city.
Which was a sinner. There's a whole lot better sound to that. She was a sinner. Aren't you glad that God looks at our sin in the past tense? Aren't you glad He doesn't hold our sins and our iniquities against us anymore?
The world might say we're still a sinner. It don't matter what they say. What matters is what He says. And God said she was a sinner. That means she used to be a sinner.
She used to have devils. She used to be wrapped up in darkness and bondage. But now, thank God, she's been set free. Hallelujah. Glory to His name.
You see, but Mary is Washing the feet of Jesus. with her tears She is wiping his feet. with the hairs of her head And in the same room. in the same room within hearing distance, And old Pharisee said, Yeah. She's a sinner.
But you know what Mary did? She just kept on washing his feet. She just kept on pouring on the ointment. She just kept on wiping his feet with the hairs. Of her head, you know what?
Mary became one of the greatest.
Now, I'm telling you. She became one of the greatest. Christians that ever lived. You'll be hard pressed. to find anybody.
that love Jesus more. Than Mary Magdalene after she got saved by the grace of God. But let me stop. And Mary. did what a lot of people do.
When this Pharisee would not forgive her. When he said that she's still a sinner. There's nothing different about her. She's just a rotten, dirty sinner. She could have.
You know what she could have done? She could have allowed his bitterness. to overcome her. She could have allowed the bitterness. And the persecution.
and the animosity of the Pharisee to cause her to get distracted. And friends, can I say you'll never become great for God. You'll never become everything that God wants you to be. Until you get past. The bitterness of others.
Don't let the bitterness of others cause you to become bitter. I'm going to read you something. Don't turn. But I want to read you something from the book of John. Chapter 12.
Verses 3 down through verse number 8.
Now, we know the Pharisee is critical of her. Because he's never going to forget her past. He remembers her laying on the side of the road. He remembers her life was almost gone, but he'll never, ever forgive her. But she just kept on going.
She just kept pressing forward. And friend, I promise you. There will be people that'll hold your past against you. But you just keep worshiping the Lord. You just keep going forward for the Lord and ignore the criticisms of those that will not forgive.
But this bitterness not only was found In the Pharisee, But this bitterness was also found. among the disciples of Christ. the handpicked men of the Lord. In John chapter 12, listen to this. Then took Mary a pound of ointment, verse 3.
of Spiknerd, very costly. And anointed the... It didn't say very cheap. very costly. And wiped, the Bible says, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair.
Thank you for listening today. We hope you received a blessing from our broadcast. The Kirkwin Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Road in Kernersville, North Carolina. You may also contact us by phone at 336-993-5192 or via the web. at Kerwin Baptist Church.com.
Enjoy our services live and all our media on our website and church app. Thank you for listening to the Kerwin Broadcast today. God bless you.
