It's Friday but Sunday is Coming

S. M. LOCKRIDGE

SM Lockridge

Words of the Video
It’s Friday
 Jesus is praying 
Peter’s a sleeping 
Judas is betraying
 But Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
 Pilate’s struggling 
The council is conspiring
 The crowd is vilifying
 They don’t even know 
That Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
 The disciples are running
 Like sheep without a shepherd 
Mary’s crying
Peter is denying

But they don’t know
 That Sunday’s a comin’
It’s Friday
The Romans beat my Jesus
 They robe Him in scarlet 
They crown him with thorns
 But they don’t know
 That Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday 
See Jesus walking to Calvary
 His blood dripping 
His body stumbling
 And His spirit’s burdened 
But you see, it’s only Friday 
Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
 The world’s winning 
People are sinning
 And evil’s grinning
It’s Friday 
The soldiers nail my Savior’s hands
 To the cross
 They nail my Savior’s feet
 To the cross
 And then they raise Him up
Next to criminals
It’s Friday 
But let me tell you something
 Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday 
The disciples are questioning 
What has happened to their King
 And the Pharisees are celebrating
 That their scheming
 Has been achieved 
But they don’t know 
It’s only Friday
 Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday 
He’s hanging on the cross

Feeling forsaken by His Father
Left alone and dying

Can nobody save Him? 
Ooooh
It’s Friday 
But Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
 The earth trembles
 The sky grows dark 
My King yields His spirit
It’s Friday
 Hope is lost 
Death has won 
Sin has conquered 
and Satan’s just a laughing
It’s Friday 
Jesus is buried 
A soldier stands guard
 And a rock is rolled into place

But it’s Friday

It is only Friday
 Sunday is a comin’!

Mary Did A Beautiful Thing Pt4

Then Mary took an alabaster jar containing one half a litre of very costly perfume, made of pure spikenard. She broke the flask and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head and feet as He reclined at the table and then wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But when His disciples saw it, along with Judas Iscariot (who was later to betray him), they said among themselves, “Why was this fragrant perfume wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply. Judas said this, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, had the money box; and used to take what was put in it.

But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She did what she could. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body. She has kept this for the day of My burial and came beforehand to anoint My body for burial. 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.” (Combined Gospel Reading)
1. Mary didn’t care what people thought

Some people worry too much about what people think, when it comes to choosing between obedience and worrying that someone might not like you doing that thing for God. Jesus said in Matthew 10 and verse 32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.³³ But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven." Mary was not afraid of confessing her Lord in front of the crowd with her actions. Mary let down her hair in front of the crowd in Lazarus' house even when this was considered a shameful thing to be done in public. 

Mary even suffered rebukes at the hand of Jesus’ disciples which was probably led at this moment by the one who would ultimately betray Him, Judas, the treasurer. Her heart was right and she did it out of a heart full of love, not worrying what the consequences might be. She could have used it for herself by selling it and spending on her own things, but chose to use it for Jesus. The paralysis of analysis could have stopped her from doing it, but she did it from and in love.

The scrooge and the thief now comes to the scene and shows his heart in things. I heard a story about an old scrooge. There was a hobo who walked up to the front door of a big farmhouse, and knocked on the door until the owner answered. The hobo said, “Sir, could I please have something to eat ? I haven’t had a meal in days.” The well-to-do owner of the house said, “I have made my fortune in the world by never giving anything away for free. If you go around to the back of the house, you’ll fine a fresh gallon of paint and a clean brush. Paint my porch and I’ll give you a good meal.”

The hobo headed off to the back of the house. About an hour later he knocked on the front door. The homeowner was surprised. “You’re finished already? That was quick! Come on in and sit down, and I’ll have the cook bring you a meal.” “Thank you, sir!” the hobo said. “I must tell you though, you really don’t know your cars. That’s not a Porch back there. It’s a BMW."
Well, here comes Judas, the scrooge, the treasurer, the betrayer, entering into the scene again and this is the beginning of the end for Judas. The anointed preacher and evangelist, who had walked with Jesus is now about to enter into a pact with the Devil as the next few verses in the stories of the Gospel show us that “Satan entered into Judas”. Jesus rebuked Judas and the disciples. Whether Judas there and then resented Jesus for His rebuke and harboured a root of bitterness, giving way to the dark side and Satan or whether it was that Judas was unable to forgive Him for what He did we are not sure. All we know is that soon after this incidence Satan entered him. His sin was greed, though as John 12.5 points out, calling him a thief, who took money for himself from the money bag. He just thought of himself when he was thinking about the money and where it could have gone. The disciples thought the perfume could have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor, but they failed to see the significance of the whole event.

2. Mary did what she could (Mk 14.8)

Some people do nothing and work very hard at doing nothing, some avoid work like the plague. They avoid the very things they should be doing. Lord don’t let me don't do this, or that is not my gifting, or I am too busy to do that. Often people's perspective of busy is so different. As a church planter I found it difficult at times to give things to people to do who were lazy and not doing much in their lives as they were not used to doing much anyway. I seemed to get more work and action out of many who were already busy in their lives. I am not an advocate of putting more and more work on people in the church but what I am saying is that the busier the person was, the more these people were capable of doing. It may be that these already busy people were better at prioritisation, planning and had better organisational skills anyway to get things done more efficiently and better.
Mary wanted to do something for the Lord and it seemed like a spur of the moment decision. Mary used means, she used what she had. You can only use your giftings, you can only use what you have got you can't use someone else's gifts or giftings. Probably if she had thought about it too long she would not have done it. Often the heart is a better judge of what is right than the mind.

3. Mary did a beautiful thing (Mk 14.6)

The horrified disciples were there troubling themselves and doing their mental gymnastics as to the costs and the waste of all of this Jesus cut straight across the bow of their thoughts and said Leave her alone. Why do you trouble this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to Me.  Jesus was in effect saying why are you all concerning yourselves about the money, the cost and what you could have done with this, and how it could have gone to the poor. Why are you pestering her and troubling her. She has done a good thing, she has "done a beautiful thing to Me". Well I am sure that shut them up. They probably looked at him with puzzled faces as Jesus continued and said "For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She did what she could." For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body. She has kept this for the day of My burial and came beforehand to anoint My body for burial. 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.”
It was a beautiful thing done to Jesus and no doubt cheered up Jesus. It was medicine that He especially needed that night. She anointed His head and feet, sealed His body with the smell of the precious perfumed oil for the rest of His life and for His burial. This was a truly wonderful thing that she did. If you don’t understand the agony you won’t understand His ecstasy here. The disciples probably did not realise the significance of this event until after Jesus crucifixion and resurrection.

A pastor of a church related this story once. Years ago, a student pastor, one of my church members really caught me off guard. One night after Bible study, she stopped me on the front steps of the church and said, “I want to give you some flowers”. I was puzzled because I did not see any flowers. Of course, she was not talking about real flowers. She was talking about telling me how she felt about me. She wanted me to know how much I had meant to her because it was not long before I was going to go to another church. It was all I could do to choke back the tears. Why? Because her flowers---her expression of love was genuine and from the heart. I have never forgotten the flowers that elderly widow by the name of Vernie Stokes gave me. I still treasure the flowers of her compliment even to this day, some 8 years later.

Here Jesus received a beautiful bunch of flowers from Mary. Around Him everything appeared ugly, but here, here, here, was something beautiful. Mary gave these flowers to Jesus, and He took them with Him for the rest of His life on earth until that cruel death on the cross.

The delicious fragrance ran down over his shining hair. It enfolded His body with its delightful aroma. Even his tunic and flowing undergarment were drenched with its enduring pungency. Wherever he moved during the ensuing days, the perfume would go with Him. The perfume lingered and followed with Him into the Passover; into the Garden of Gethsemane; into the courts of the Sanhedrin, into Herod’s hall; into Pilate’s patio; each crack of the whip, Mary’s gift was remembered, down the long painful road to the cross, even into the cruel hands of those who cast lots for his clothing” Mary’s gift was remembered. With each nail driven in, with every taunt from the crowd, until He gave up his soul to be with His Father in Heaven, her love, her actions and the smell of the perfume lingered with Jesus and it still lingers to today as we hear this story that was commanded by Jesus to be told to the world until Jesus comes back.

Her demonstration of love and her fragrance of love with which she loved her Lord stands as a testimony to her love for her Lord Jesus that lasts forever. Go and do the same for Jesus.
see also:
Mary Did A Beautiful Thing Pt1
Mary Did A Beautiful Thing Pt2
Mary Did A Beautiful Thing Pt3

Sanders, J. Oswald

Sanders, J. Oswald, Spiritual Leadership (Chicago: Moody Press, 1980)
A SUMMARY
I heard Oswald Sanders and saw his heart laid open before us as he preached in 1982 in Adelaide, South Australia, when he was around 80 years old in his busy preaching schedule. He preached with a real great and fiery heart with a desire for his people to live as mature people in Christ that reflected who Jesus is in our lives. It was a real joy to hear him and the depth of his life and knowledge of his saviour. I review this book with fond memories of one of my fond and endeared teachers of the Word of God.
1. Main Emphasis of Author
This book is an old one, but a good one that is filled with many illustrations and quotes from well known preachers and numerous missionaries and missionary leaders. In the world there is a great dearth of spiritual leaders who can command a real spiritual authority.
When we look at the qualities of spiritual leadership there are a number of scriptural principles we can look at. Jesus emphasises that leadership should be one where the leader serves the people. This is the real test of godly leadership of which Moses was one. Some of the principles of this servant leadership are dependence, approval, modesty, empathy, optimism and an anointing from God. Spiritual leadership is a blending of natural and spiritual qualities. Even the natural qualities. Even the natural qualities are not self-produced but God-given, and therefore, reach their highest effectiveness when employed in the service of God and for His glory. There is no such thing as a self-made spiritual leader. Some important criteria for leadership potential from Paul's perspective; above reproach, moral qualifications, mental qualifications, personal qualifications, domestic qualifications and maturity qualifications. Qualities from 1 Tim. 3.7 show discipline, vision, wisdom, decision, courage, humility, integrity and sincerity, humour, godly anger, patience, tact and diplomacy, friendships, inspirational power, executive ability, the therapy of listening and the art of letter writing.
Some indispensable requirements, though, for all leaders is gifting and a prayerful disposition. The leader must be able to manage his time effectively and be a reader. He must go through many trials and count the cost as far as leadership under Christ is concerned. The leader needs to develop the art of raising up others into the areas of leadership and be able to delegate others into ministry.
2. New Ideas
This book was more a reinforcing of ideas, but there were new concepts that were clarified a little more.
1. Seeing anger as a prerequisite for leadership was no something I had thought of. This is anger directed in the right way as an holy passion or zeal for justice among the injustices or a standing for truth during times of untruth.(p.96)
2. "Sometimes there is a conflict between two ministries (of prophet or leader), for each of which a man is fitted. For example, a preacher who possesses marked gifts of leadership may reach a place in his church or organisation that compels him to choose whether his role is to be one of popular leader or unpopular prophet....(p.236-7)
3. Main Principles of Leadership/ Management
Gifting (natural and supernatural), a well ordered life and temperament, maturity in the things of God, prayer, counts the cost, and can be resilient to the vision despite setbacks.
1. Prayer
Prayer is an indespensible prerequisite for leadership. A heart after God, humility and learning from Christ is essential for any ongoing ministry. Jesus as our model for leadership was a prayer. Other models such as Moses, Elijah and many of the prophets. Timothy, the younger leader, was shown the example by Paul (1Tim. 2.1). The more work involved in the ministry should be proportional to the amount of time spent in prayer. Important decisions or crossroads in Jesus' life meant nights of prayer, retreating into the desert or private places. Those that had powerful ministries in history seem to show a well disciplined prayer life and lots of it (e.g. Wesley, Whitefield, Luther, Hudson Taylor, etc.).
2. Study widely
The studying of the Word of God is a prerequisite for the leader/ preacher/ teacher. Meditation on the Law of the Lord was essential for Joshua's leadership (Josh. 1.8ff., c.f. Psalm 1, 19, 119, 2 Tim 2.15). We need to read to keep abreast of things spiritually. You can only lead someone into the scriptures only to the depth that you have been. Studying involves studying man, man's heart and motives so that you can be so acquainted with the heart of man that you can diagnose problems, prescribe and treat their malaise of sin and despair.
The important thing to remember here is that there are many books to read and the judicial choice of the books you read is paramount because much time can be lost in reading those books which are of little value. As Oswald Sanders pointed out som books are better only when digested wholly while other only need to be read cursorily. Try and take notes and retain the information rather than losing it as soon s you read it.
3. Proper time management for self, the church week and calendar (proper planning, goal setting and prioritization).
Some of the main elements of time management can be seen in 1. Making time for regular planning, 2. Spend time thinking objectively about the future, 3. Set faith goals and establish priorities, 4. Develop action plans for each goal (this can be done by using a Gnatt chart or project planner).
Time is important and the scriptures talk of "redeeming the time" or "make the most of your time" Eph. 5.16. Procrastination is common and Sanders encouragement to DO IT NOW is important to keep in mind and habitually do. In other words when it can be done do it, don't leave it or later.
4. Encouraging people into ministries and then help them
- develop in them (i.e. delegation and training). An important point brought out by both books is that the leader must be able to delegate. This not only relieves the leader from some of his portfolios, but that another person may be able to do that particular task better with an added focus. The leader would alo be able to multiply his workload by the capacity of the church abilities to do things is increased.
One of the common failures of pastors and leaders is to hold on to the different jobs they have already been doing and running the risk of being the bottle neck in the whole operation. Every Christian is given gifts. The challenge is to utilize people's giftings rather than to stile them or bury them in the ground. Work toward goal ownership of the congregation.
5. A Leader in the Church needs to watch out for pitfalls in the ministry
Pride, egotism, jealousy, popularity, infallibility, indispensability, elation and depression

Mary Did A Beautiful Thing Pt3

Then Mary took an alabaster jar containing one half a litre of very costly perfume, made of pure spikenard. She broke the flask and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head and feet as He reclined at the table and then wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But when His disciples saw it, along with Judas Iscariot (who was later to betray him), they said among themselves, “Why was this fragrant perfume wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply. Judas said this, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, had the money box; and used to take what was put in it. (Combined Gospel Reading)


1 LET US LOOK AT MARY’S ACTIONS

1. Mary’s heart was motivated by love

Firstly Mary was motivated by the love of Jesus in this story as she sacrificed something precious to her and very costly.  To Mary Jesus was the "Resurrection and the Life". She knew Him personally and witnessed the resurrection of her brother, Lazarus from the dead after being in the tomb for three days. She heard the words of Jezus to Mary when He said in John 11 and verse 25, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ²⁶And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”. Jesus was her Messiah and her devotion was seen when she sat at the feet of Jesus but somehow she wanted to return her love and devotion to her Lord for saving her. She wanted to do something for the Lord.

Charles Spurgeon described this devotion of Mary: "I think, in the first place, this act was done from the impulse of a loving heart, and this it was that made it so remarkable. Ah! my brethren, the heart is better than the head, after all, and the renewed heart is infinitely superior to the head; for, somehow or other, though doubtless grace will renew the understanding, yet it takes longer to sanctify the understanding, than it doth the affections; or, at least, the heart is the first affected; it is that which is first touched, and being swifter in its goings forth than the head; it is generally more uncontaminated by the atmosphere around, and more clearly perceives that which is right. We in our day fall into the habit of calculating whether a thing is our duty or not; but have we never an impulse of the heart more impressive, and more expressive, than the mere arithmetic of moral obligations? Our heart says to us, “Arise, go and visit such and such an one who is sick:” we stop and say, “Is it my duty? If I do not go, will not somebody else go? Is the service absolutely requisite?” Or thy heart has said perhaps, once upon a time, “Devote of thy substance largely to the cause of Christ.” If we obeyed the heart we should do it at once; but instead of that, we stop and shake the head, and we begin to calculate the question whether it is precisely our duty. This woman did no such thing. It was not her duty..."

Not only was her love expressed in this act but she showed her love in her sacrificing her expensive perfume to her Lord. Her sacrifice of half a litre of pure spikenard from her alabaster jar onto the head and feet of Jesus would have cost her a over three hundred denarii equivalent to a years worth of wages. Imagine a whole year's worth of wages sacrificed on the Lord Jesus head and feet in a few minutes. Without a cost, there is no sacrifice. For Mary there is nothing too great for us in our sacrifices to God for what Jesus had done for her. She wanted to bless Jesus back for what He had done for her in saving her life and showing her the truth of God in Jesus Christ and His salvation. Mary did not ask how much it costs, but asked who will it touch”. Her accusation against her was by the disciples of Jesus, of all people. The horrified disciples' accusation was that she could have sold it and given the amount to the poor, but chose to spend it on Jesus in response to His love for her.

2. Mary sacrificed something very costly
It was as though the disciples were saying "MARY, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?" This was 
extravagance in the extreme, flambouyance and a waste in the eyes of the disciples

It was as though the disciples were saying to Mary, "MARY, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?" This was extravagance in the extreme, flamboyance and a waste in the eyes of the disciples. But they did not know the heart of Mary or her attitudes of devotion and thankfulness to her Lord. 

3. She gave it all

Next Mary broke the alabaster jar to the point of no return. The whole years wage poured on to Jesus that could have been sold and spent on the poor, but Jesus saw something in Mary that was deeper and more beautiful than any could imagine. She looked at what she owned, she looked over her belongings on the earth, what could she give back of her own for such a precious and infinite gift of salvation that was to last forever in Heaven. What could she give back for the extraordinary sacrifice Jesus was about to make for the world. What can I give, what is there in my house I can give back? I imagine Mary thinking in her mind until she is reminded of her alabaster jar, hidden behind her furniture in her room. Yes her mind thinks, I can give this, I can sacrifice this to the Lord for all that Jesus has done for me. Nothing is too much for my Lord, Jesus. It might represent all I own, but this is me, this is what I own and I give all of me. It reminds me of the following true story.

A nine-year-old boy once lived in a rural town in Tennessee. His house was in a poor area of the community. A church had a bus ministry that came knocking on his door one Saturday afternoon. The kid came to answer the door and greeted the bus pastor. The bus pastor asked if his parents were home and the small boy told him that his parents take off every weekend and leave him at home to take care of his little brother. The bus pastor couldn’t believe what the kid said and asked him to repeat it. The youngster gave the same answer and the bus pastor asked to come in and talk with him. They went into the living room and sat down on an old couch with the foam and springs exposed. The bus pastor asked the kid, "Where do you go to church?" The young boy surprised the visitor by replying, "I’ve never been to church in my whole life." The bus pastor thought to himself about the fact that his church was less than three miles from the child’s house. "Are you sure you have never been to church?" He asked again. "I sure haven’t", came his answer. Then the bus pastor said, "Well, son, more important than going to church, have you ever heard the greatest love story ever told?" and then he proceeded to share the Gospel with this little nine year old boy. The young lad’s heart began to be tenderized and at the end of the bus pastor’s story the bus pastor asked if the boy wanted to receive this free gift from God. The youngster exclaimed, "You bet! The kid and the bus pastor got on their knees and the lad invited Jesus into his little heart and received the free gift of salvation. They both stood up and the bus pastor asked if he could pick the kid up for church the next morning. "Sure," the nine old replied. The bus pastor got to the house early the next morning and found the lights off. He let himself in and snaked his way through the house and found the little boy asleep in his bed. He woke up the little boy and his brother and helped get them dressed. They got on the bus and ate a donut for breakfast on their way to church. Keep in mind that this boy had never been to church before. The church was a real big one. The little kid just sat there, clueless of what was going on. A few minutes into the service these tall unhappy guys walked down to the front and picked up some wooden plates. One of the men prayed and the kid with utter fascination watched them walk up and down the aisles. He still didn’t know what was going on. All of a sudden like a bolt of lightning it hit the kid what was taking place. These people must be giving money to Jesus. He then reflected on the free gift of life that he had received just twenty-four hours earlier. He immediately searched his pockets, front and back, and couldn’t find a thing to give Jesus. By this time the offering plate was being passed down his aisle and with a broken heart he just grabbed the plate and held on to it. He finally let go and watched it pass on down the aisle. He turned around to see it passed down the aisle behind him. And then his eyes remained glued on the plate as it was passed back and forth, back and forth all the way to the rear of the sanctuary. Then he had an idea. This little nine-year-old boy, in front of God and everybody, got up out of his seat. He walked about eight rows back, grabbed the usher by the coat and asked to hold the plate one more time. Then he did the most astounding thing I have ever heard of. He took the plate, sat it on the carpeted church floor and stepped into the center of it. As he stood there, he lifted his little head up and said, "Jesus, I don’t have anything to give you today, but just me. I give you me!"

The boy couldn’t give more than all of himself! Mary was giving Jesus, all she had. Coming to Christ is about giving your all, wealth, heart, soul, mind and strength/ & as you are. Everything you own and are is the Lord's. When we come to Christ we come with the attitude that He is Lord of all our mind, heart, energies and possessions. He is either Lord of all or Lord of none in our lives.
What Mary did was not a half-hearted thing. It’s not a half hearted thing, where we can choose how much to Give back to Him in our lives. He wants our all and nothing less. Jesus does not discount or mark down our obedience and say its OK, 50% will do, 50% of your life will do. Jesus never ever waters down what He demands of His people. There is no watered down Gospel, with Jesus it is always all or none. John Bunyan, when he was converted, heard a voice from Heaven as though God was speaking to Him, “will you keep your sins and go to Hell or leave your sins and go to Heaven”. What will you do in your life, will you keep your sins and go to Hell or leave your sins and go to Heaven??