In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the humility and simplicity of Jesus Christ. He compares Jesus to the apostle Paul, who often said "finally" but continued to write more chapters. The preacher highlights that Jesus did not seek attention or showmanship, but still had a profound impact wherever he went. He mentions how Jesus' birth caused trouble and separation, and how his life and death continued to divide people. The preacher also emphasizes the importance of personal connection with Jesus, rather than just being busy with religious activities. He warns against prioritizing service and showmanship over genuine love and devotion to Jesus.

My wife said to me this morning, where are we sitting? I said, I'm sitting on the front seat. She said, you are? I said, yes, it says the Pharisees love the front seats in the synagogues. Let's read from the Gospel recorded by Luke. Chapter 7. I've got the wrong chapter here. Okay. Chapter 7. Sorry. Verse 36. And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisees' house and sat down to meet. And behold, a woman of the city, she was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meet in the Pharisees' house, brought an alabaster box of ointment. She stood behind his feet, weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears. And he wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with ointment. Now 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 a woman this is. But such was he, for she is a sinner. Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee, and he said, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors. One owed him five hundred pence, and the other owed him fifty. Tell me therefore, which of them would love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman and said, Simon, seest thou this woman? Thou gavest me no water for my feet, but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss, but this woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss me. My head with oil, thou didst not anoint. But this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins which are many are forgiven, for she loveth much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at me with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace. This story is recorded by each of the evangelists. There are not four gospels. There is one gospel told by four different men. And there are four different accents on this story. I think this is the most beautiful of them. But this is one link in a chain of events which have rocked and shocked Jerusalem for quite a period. I understand that tornadoes are caused by hot air meeting with cold air. And there have been great disturbances in Jerusalem. There had been a wave of hot air from the Pharisees and the temple guard and others. And there had been a wave of cold air from them, a wave of warm air because there was jubilation. But at last somebody had come, who really cared for the sinners. You could say on one hand there were waves of jealousy and on the other hand there were waves of joy. And this event here records the great social event of the year. I guess everybody in Jerusalem knew by the time this feast was to be held, at least this woman had heard of it and she sure was not on the guest list. It's a wonderful thing that the only person we know who went to the feast is not on the guest list. She gate crashed it. I think this man Simon had a lot of problems. First of all he had very limited space to put his guests. And I figure that he made out a list of guests and deleted one name and put another one in. And eventually he got the list just where he wanted it. And after he'd settled on the folk who were coming then he had to settle on the food. After all if you were having Mr. Carter to dinner today you wouldn't give him hamburger and potato chips. Well maybe you would by his rating right now. But normally you'd have a great big festivity, you'd make a great big banquet. And this I'm sure is exactly what this man did. He got the right folk there, he got the right food, he got the right flowers, he wanted a good aesthetic atmosphere. And as the nursery rhyme says, everything in the garden was lovely. He got up that morning, if I read his mind right, saying something like this. This is going to be the greatest day in my life. A day I shall never, never want to forget. Whereas it became a day that he never, never wanted to remember. One of those lovely days that you've had sometimes. You know the first thing you do, you put your foot on the floor under the pin there. And from that indication you're going to have trouble the whole day through because the whole day ended in chaos. People are going to leave this banquet saying, you know what I've never been to a banquet. The tables were loaded. Oh no doubt there was wine because they drank it in those days very much. And I believe he thought people would go from that banquet talking about his generosity. Whereas they left it talking about his stupidity. After all everything was in order and he puts a guard there and says look through the lattice and as soon as you see some distinguished person let me know and they came and according to custom. They took the guest and kissed them on either cheek and showed them to a slave or a servant. And the servant washed the feet of that individual. And they took them to the table and they found just where they were to sit and everything was going well. When suddenly one of the servants said master come here quickly. And he had just been excited because the mayor or the master or millionaires had just come into the banquet. And his ego was inflated. And he felt great he thought boy I'm establishing myself with society. This is an epoch in the history of Jerusalem. After all he got a man there. The reason for the uprising in Jerusalem, the disturbance was what always happens when Jesus goes. We say Jesus is the prince of peace. Jesus is the prince of war. Wherever Jesus goes there's trouble. He goes into a family he breaks it up. I remember some society people used to come to a church I parted in England. They used to dance in Buckingham Palace. They used to dance in the arms of Dukes. They used to go to the great social gatherings in the queen's circle and royal circles and Dukes and what have you got. Like Brother Red there used to meet with that bunch too. But anyhow at least some of his friends. And you know when these girls were not saved everything was alright. But once they got saved they became a thorn in the side of their relatives. She won't drink anymore. She won't dance anymore. She doesn't want to smoke anymore. She won't play cards anymore. What's wrong with her? She thinks she's better than we are. And immediately wherever Jesus goes you get trouble. He came not to bring peace but a sword. He brings peace to us individually. You see Jesus was having trouble here because of the Pharisees. And the Sadducees. They were very much the same. A little bit different theologically. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection. The Sadducees did not. That's why they were Sadducees. But he had trouble with them. They were antagonistic to his theology. And now they hear that this man Jesus. The first thing they were troubled with the man. The second thing they were troubled with his message. The third thing they were troubled with his miracles. He'd arrived on the scene. He didn't even have a headquarters on earth. Well he did under a tree. When he wasn't using it the foxes slept there. He didn't even have any stationery. He didn't even have a broadcast. He didn't even have an entertainment center for Christians. You wonder however he made it. But anyhow. He arrived on the scene with no social backing. No prestige. He began his life with a bunch of prostitutes. How do you know? Because he was baptized between thieves and prostitutes. He ended up on the cross with them. In the middle of life he's with them. This woman did what she would never do to a Pharisee. She drew near to Jesus. Because she'd heard somebody say. This man received sinners. I think that's one of the greatest titles ever given to Jesus. Though they never call it his title. If ever you go to Ireland. It's a great country. It's a bit noisy at the moment. But if you ever go to Ireland. They sing a wonderful hymn there. Sing it all and all again. Christ receive us sinful men. You know come to think of it. He doesn't receive any other kind anyhow. The only thing that will get you to Jesus is you're a sinner. A stinking rotten proud Pharisee. Church member, deacon, pastor. Or anything else. But the only way to Jesus is that we're sinners. Now this woman daringly comes. The guest had been arriving. And the servant says. Master you know that certain woman. He says. Yes if she comes turn the dogs on her. But master she's here. Where? I think Jesus came in at the back door. I think he came in the servants quarters. I like the hymn. It's on the sheet we didn't sing this morning. Or did we? To that tune in England. We used to sing a hymn. My heart and voice I raise to spread Messiah's praise. The second stanza is. A servant's form he wore. And in his body bore our dreadful curse on Calvary. He like a victim stood and poured his. Sacred blood to set us guilty captives free. Jesus had no show. No ostentation. You can get an introduction like some of the big boys get on TV and radio. You know this is. You got to introduce somebody. He's got nothing. So blow him up. Jesus had no trumpeters going in front of him. As soon as he came there was trouble. He was only that size. Isn't it amazing that before he could walk or talk. Jesus broke a city in two. When he was born they said. Have you heard the news? A king has been born. And Herod was troubled and all Jerusalem with him. Because he was a new baby about that size. He separated men when he was. When he was born. He separated men on the cross. One went to hell. The other went to heaven. He separated men while he lived. This man received us sinners. Others went away from him. And Simon looked and he saw that woman there. He said in our language I blew it. He's no prophet. If he were a prophet he'd know that she's a harlot. She's this. She's that. She's the other. And Jesus read his mind. Matter of fact he can read yours right now if it gives you any comfort. Simon said I made a mess of it. She. Ah. He's no prophet. And Jesus gives him a little story. He said Simon there were two men. One owed five hundred pence. The other owed fifty to the same man. Which would rob him most if he had his debts forgiven. Oh well of course the man who has the biggest debts. You know that's why it's so difficult to get some stuff he took. People really say. They've never realized how rotten they are. If I learned anything the couple of years I worked with Dave Wilkerson. In his early days when he was struggling there in New York. We lived in that hell hole, that ghetto. If I learned anything it was this. That when those kids came out of a horrible pit. You didn't have to persuade them they were sinners. What they wanted to know is anybody big enough to get me out of it. Is an arm long enough and strong enough to lift me. He only had one quarrel with the apostle Paul. That was that he said he was the chief of sinners. And they said no I'm the chief of sinners. This woman knew she was a sinner. I can imagine her at the door. If you'd seen her you'd have seen her dress going like that. Her heart was beating that loudly. And she said shall I really do it. You know I don't really think that this is an unpremeditated act. But it's an unprecedented act. She didn't copy anybody else. We always copy what other folk are doing. Let somebody stage a big show on TV. And the guy changes and switches his format. It must be glittering and glamorous. He may not say anything. But after all you're not supposed it's not what's on the plate. If you eat off a Limoges plate. It's the fact that the plate was worth $50. Even if you had potato chips. And today we serve things up glittering. There's not much in them. There's not much substance in them. This woman runs to the Lord Jesus Christ. Simon says he's no prophet. And Jesus rebukes him on three counts. What does he say to him. In verse 45 pardon me. In verse 44. I entered into thine house. Thou gavest me no water. Verse 44. Verse 45. Thou gavest me no kiss. Verse 46. You gave me no oil. You didn't anoint my hair. He was so busy greeting everybody else. That when the chief guest. That he didn't understand anyhow. He wanted him for social standing. He wanted him because. This Christ was a sensation. All Jerusalem was. Again I say it was in a state of earthquake. There were volumes of hatred. There were volumes of praise. There were great hurricanes of jealousy. There were great hurricanes of joy. People were stopping at street corners. Saying you aren't so and so. Yes. But I've seen you begging at the wrong side. Well I don't beg anymore you see. He touched me. Boy they just sang that a lot better than we sang it. He touched me. Oh he touched me. This woman comes and Jesus says. Simon I entered your house. Thou gavest me no water. Thou gavest me no oil. Thou gavest me no kiss. Thou gavest me no water. This woman says if I ever get in there. I'm going to wash those feet with water. Not on your life. You mean to say I'm going to get the holiest feet. That ever walked the earth in my hands. And wash them with water. No. She says I'm not wash them with water. I wash them with my tears. She should have stood in front of him. She stood behind him. Now she must have nearly broken her neck doing it. But you see love doesn't care what it costs. I don't know. I can only guess that maybe Charles Wesley got inspiration for one of his hymns out of this. When he said oh let me kiss thy bleeding feet. And bathe and wash them with my tears. The story of thy love repeat in every drooping sinners ears. That all mankind with me may prove thy sovereign everlasting love. Wash his feet with water. No. She washed his feet with her tears. She should have got a nice soft brand new towel. And she said no no no I'll never wash those feet with water. And I won't dry his feet with a towel. And she had lovely long hair. And she pulled the pins out. And that hair cascaded down. When I think of this I think of my sister. She had long hair. She couldn't sit on it. Mother used to brush it. She used to buy a special whale bone brush. And when she finished brushing it. It was as shiny as though she had put some of that shoe polish. You shine yours with you know. Whatever it is. But mother used to brush it. And that hair used to shine. My mother used to say let you come and feel it. Isn't it lovely. And I said it is. When mother was there I felt it. When she wasn't I pulled it. But anyhow. The fact was that I never read this story without thinking of this stupendous fact. Wash his feet with tears. No wash them with water. Dry his feet with a towel. She took the hair of the head. And took his feet in this. Oh it must have felt gorgeous that lovely hair. You see in typology she laid her glory at his feet. A woman's glory is her hair. Most of you are so worthy of having it cut off. But it doesn't alter the fact. You know if you joined the old Pentecostal church. That real fiery Pentecostal church in freedom. The church of Philadelphia. If you went through the door with your hair cut. The deacon would write your name down. You'd have to meet the church board during the week. And they'd say sister we don't understand why your back's ridden so much. Why do you want to copy the world. Now that's a fact. I don't know whether they still do it. They did it until a few years ago. We're not worldly are we. No we don't drink smoke. But you see this is where it's difficult really. God's always hitting the pride and particularly of women. Says you're not to wear ornaments. You're certainly not to wear earrings. And when you mention this people say. Oh now listen listen. You know you go watch this. This is legalism. Anything we don't like is either legalism or bondage. Have you noticed that. Anything that irritates me gets against me. Well I think for some particularly ladies. Because women don't wear earrings. Some clowns do but not many. But I think this is where you take up your cross. It isn't being nailed just to a cross. It's every day. Somebody pointing a finger maybe in the office and say. She doesn't paint you see. Say no Indians do. The Indians go out you know they do. And some of these clowns from in jazz bands. They paint up. But as Christians. The adornment is not external. If it isn't internal. What is good is getting painted like a battleship. If you haven't got beauty inside. I wouldn't look twice at you with all your makeup. And I don't care if Avon does go bankrupt. But there you are. The fact is that this woman took what was her glory. And she wiped his feet with the hair of her head. Can you imagine that bunch of folks sitting there. And looking and thinking to themselves. What's this guy doing here. Letting this woman make all the palaver. She's weeping. She's sobbing. And spilling her hot tears on his feet. And taking her hair down and wiping his feet. And then she produced an alabaster box of ointment. In John's account he says it was very costly. There are some details there that are very beautiful. It said that she took just one pound of ointment. And it cost three hundred pence. Does it matter? It may not to you. But it does to me. It matters enormously why. Because you think she was saving this up for a funeral. Now if this Mary is the sister of Lazarus. Lazarus had been dead. But she didn't love her brother enough to spill a pound of ointment on his feet. Which I guess is the way sisters go anyhow. I'm going to have a real first class funeral. Are you going to have one? I mean it doesn't make much sense. You can't see what's going on. So why don't they bury you in the jam jar or something. I mean Billy Graham used to tell the story of a man who was being buried. He was a Texan. And so they buried him in a solid gold coffin. And as they lowered him down. One of the coloured brothers said. As they lowered the casket. One said to the other. Boy what a casket. And the other said. Boy that's the way to live. But don't we love the outward decoration. The outward show. This woman isn't doing this to be a showpiece. Nobody had ever done it before her. She hadn't got a blueprint of somebody else's sacrifice and devotion. She'd been saying to herself over and over. I would never go into the temple. But I do know this. Because I can remember hearing over and over and over and over again. My people always saying. Well the Lord he is God. And they're always quoting Isaiah 35. That one day somebody's going to touch this earth. Who is God himself. And when he comes. He'll have all the power of omnipotence. In other words. Given back to him. The last Adam. Will be all the power that the first Adam should have had. And he had it. Lost it. And we'll know. When the church has really got a super Pentecost. Because all the power that came to the first Adam. Will come to the last Adam. What did he do? Well when the youth come. Isaiah 35 says. The eyes of the blind shall be opened. The ears of the deaf unstopped. The lame shall leap at the heart. The tongue of the dumb shall speak. And he did everything the word of God would say. And so all Jerusalem is alive. Why are we being gone to the synagogue. And the temple. And those old boys go through. And they drow drow drow. And say let's all quote the psalmist. And quote backwards. But there's no life. There's no power. There's no authority. And Jesus comes. And instead of being. Giving a bit of dignity to the temple. He does all his ministry in the street. Never took an offering. Isn't that a shame. I think that inwardly this woman said to herself. I believe this now is really the son of God. And out of her overflowing heart. She washed his feet with tears. And wiped them with the hair of her head. And then she broke that costly. One pound of alabaster. Of ointment. Spikenard. Nard they call it for short. But spikenard. Remember it came in the life of Jesus. Three times. It came when he was obeyed. They presented gifts of gold. And frankincense and myrrh. It came on the cross. And it comes here. Shall we say in the middle of his ministry. At least if not the middle of his life. The middle of his ministry. She breaks the box of ointment. Do you know what this woman was doing. Do you know why she went. Well I haven't read this anywhere. My own conclusion is this. She went there to do just one thing. And that was to worship Jesus. How do I know. For two reasons. Or three reasons. One is she took a gift. The second reason it was a very costly gift. And the third reason. She never said a word to him. Everybody in his brother these days wants a ministry. Are you suggesting this woman didn't have a ministry. I met prostitutes on the streets of New York. Young men and young women. Jailbirds. Bedeviled with every kind of sin you could mention. And if you permit me to say this. Not be offensive. When I said to one young man. I said will you take a cup of coffee. Was down in the hall that we had there in Greenwich Village. And he said yes. And I reached a cup of coffee and a donut. Excuse me. And before I sat down he said this. There was a certain man named Nicodemus. The ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night. And said good master what must I do to inherit eternal life. And Jesus said unto him. I said hold it, hold it. You're ahead of me. He said isn't that what you're going to tell me. I've heard Nicodemus from the top to the bottom. From east to west. From north to south. I've heard Nicodemus everywhere. All I said you have a background. At least a religious background. And he almost spit in my face. He said my dad's a missionary in Africa chasing niggers. So they won't go to hell. And his own children are perishing. Now that would send you back home not to sleep wouldn't it. You meet a gorgeous girl who says. Well I've been prostituting for two years. You see my mother is always so busy in the church. And she's here there and everywhere. I've got no time for your ministry. If all your ministry is to other kids. Then you're on the going to the devil. Timothy says let them first show piety at home. As I meditated this morning. I wonder what would have happened if. Mrs. Wesley had wanted a ministry like her husband. A woman came to Wesley one day. And said do you believe in women ministers. He said no. She said well God has called me to the ministry. He said are you married. Yes. Have you a family. Yes. Children. How many. Seventeen. Oh he said he's not only called you. He's given you the congregation. Mrs. Wesley had nineteen. What would she be running off to meetings. Wanting a ministry here and a ministry there. We'd have missed two of the greatest brothers. That the world ever saw. You'll see a mark for them on the walls of Westminster Abbey. John who was the architect and the God of Methodism. Child whose hymns will be sung all over the world this morning. Love divine all love excelling. Jesus lover of my soul. If she hadn't nurtured them and nursed them. And she educated them. She didn't give them fairy stories to read merely. She took the word of God. She took each child. For an hour. Each night. Now all the nineteen weren't living at the same time. She lost a number. Sure. But each night they say. And Charles would say it's my night tonight mother. Yes. And for one hour. She took that child and instructed it in the things of God. I'm glad she did. You know what we've done. We've taught Christian people to work. And we've taught them to witness. We have not taught them to worship. Our only idea of ministry is wearing yourself thin. I believe you could win. Listen and I mean this as God records it in heaven. And that's an awesome thing about preaching. That as I preach this message God is going to put it down. On something more accurate than any tape recorder. I believe you could win a hundred people to Jesus Christ every day. And still be a disappointment to him. Why? Because you haven't worshipped him. Somewhere about in the seventeenth or a bit further on maybe. In Exodus. Where God says you separate Aaron and his sons. To minister to me. Not to you. Not to minister to the people. In the Old Testament economy a man could be a soldier when he was 20. Because then and now you don't need brains to kill anybody. So he could be a soldier at 20. He could not be a priest until he was 25. He could not be a high priest until he was 30. Jesus. Don't ask me why. Ask Winky. He's a better theologian. But tell me this. A priest could not be a high priest until he was 30. Jesus did not minister till he was 30. John Baptist did not minister till he was 30. Moses did not minister till he was 30. The Apostle Paul was past 30. I don't know why that cut off is there at the age of 30. But it's there nevertheless. So in the old economy a man could be a priest when he was 25. He could not be a high priest. Which meant he could not go into the Holy of Holies. The priest ministered to people in the outer court. He ministered to people. God says. Separate Aaron and his sons. To minister not to the people. To minister to me. In the outer court there was daylight. In the inner court there was a candlelight. Seven brand candlestick. In the Holy of Holies there was no light at all. Now how long do you think we'd have to wait. Let's come down here. Let's forget about the backstreet Methodists. And the half on fire Pentecostals. And the others. But anyhow. Supposing we came every Lord's Day morning. Here into this sanctuary. Not very charming. I don't see any stained glass windows. I hope there won't be any in the new place. But supposing we waited till the glory of God filled the temple. Can you imagine the priest coming out of the daylight. Into the candlelight. Into a black chamber. Where there was no light at all. Unless the glory of God came. Now the glory of God doesn't come to us. So we clap and sing and shout. I'm not saying it's wrong. I'm saying it's a substitute. For the deeper thing. For the more powerful thing. It could lead on to that. It could lead on to that. You see. Prayer is preoccupation with my needs. Praise is preoccupation with my blessings. Worship is preoccupation with God. I don't know how many people call me and ask me. Where can I get Dr. Chaucer's books. Or they say I'm reading this book of Chaucer's and that. Now if you want to go to a real good school. Apart from Agatha. You read Chaucer's book. First of all read his Pursuit of God. And then after that read his 21 studies on the Holy Spirit. The knowledge of the Holy. And that will do as much good as a year at Bible school. If you digest them that is. And I like the things he wrote. I like better the things he told me personally in his office. And one of the most staggering things was this. I went in one day and he said Len latch the door. He showed me a piece of rug. It was about I guess not more than 40 inches by about 28. And he said Len look at that rug. I looked at it. And I said I've seen your rug. These are his exact words. And I went to his office some mornings. I call my secretary and say to her. Put a notice on the door. No interviews today. You go home I can't dictate any letters today. And then he said what I think is one of the most awesome things I've ever heard. And I've heard the greatest preachers in the world in the last 60 years. He said I get on that rug on my belly. At 8 o'clock in the morning. And I worship the Lord Jesus the ascended Christ. At 8 in the morning. And I'm still there at 11 or even 12 or even 1 o'clock. Now that's awesome. That a man with a vast intellect, these acres of culture, a brilliant mind, a rich relationship with God. And he says I can lay on that rug for 5, 4 or 5 hours. And worship him and never say a word of prayer. And never say a word of praise. Just worshiping him. Gazing on his holiness. Gazing on his majesty. We can often concentrate. Lord we thank you what we've done for us. You've blessed us this week and you've done this for us this week. Forget it, turn it the other way. How often do you get there and say Lord Jesus. I'm singing with you now. You were there before the stars were there. Before the trees of the field clapped their hands. While the stars sang together. To everlasting. To everlasting thou art God. Get some of those old majestic hymns say of Wesley's. He laid his glory by and wrapped him in our clay. Could you lay down on the floor for even an hour without saying a word. Most of us have gone to sleep. Without putting in a word of request. Told you I like to get hymns. As a matter of fact you sell the hymn book that he wrote here. And everybody should have a copy of it. It's in paperback, a good edition now. What's it called? Christian hymn. Yeah Christian, thank you. Christian book of mystical verse. He puts Ter Stegen in there. Adam Guion. One that he liked most. Best of all, Faber. He said Len I just. Oh I'll tell you what he said to me too. He said Len let everybody else do what they like. You and I will worship God face downwards. I read this morning about Abraham. God appeared to him. And he fell on his face. And then I turned into the. Matthew. I forget the chapter 20. Somewhere around there. Where it said that Mary. And the Mary's went to the. Went to the grave. And they turned. And as they came back. Jesus met them in the way. What did they do? They shook hands with him. No they didn't. He said they fell on their faces. And they seized him by the feet. The most favored man that ever lived was surely the twelve disciples. And I think the most favored of all was John. And he heard that divine heartbeat. He felt the throbbing for eternity. And he knew and understood Jesus better than anyone else. Read the gospel of John. Which as Dr. Kaufman says. John was the Plato of the New Testament. It's the most profound thing they'd ever written. Most beautiful thing ever written. And you remember that John was on the Isle of Patmos. And he had a revelation. Of who? Of Jesus. What did he do? Do you think he went up and said. Well Jesus nice to see you again. You know I was the most faithful of all the twelve. And I'm sure you know that I've. Just about finished the best. Recording of the gospel. John listened to the divine heartbeat. John used to sleep with him and eat with him. And walk with him and talk with him. When he saw him in his risen glory. He says I tell you his feet are dead. Some people have the idea. When we get to heaven. Through silly songs we've written. We're going to rush up to Jesus. And say hey buddy you know. Boy it's great to see you. I've been wanting to do this you know. I remember when we were out with Campbell. Or out with Agape or out with somebody. Or the Salvation Army. No no we're not going to do that. I think this woman was awestruck with the majesty of Jesus. She suddenly realized who he was. And what he was. And when I see him. He's not going to be the pathetic Christ. With stained glass windows. And what artists think. His hair is as white as snow. And his feet are like burnished brass. And his face is like the sun in spring. Mary Antoinette was maybe the most beautiful woman that ever lived. She was a power behind the ruler of France. Who I forget who he was Louis XIV or XV or somebody. But anyhow she was a big shot. She manipulated him. She was 21 and she was the epitome of beauty and majesty. But one day she crossed up with the king. And he threw her in the Bastille. Which is destroyed now. She went into the Bastille knowing that in the morning when the clock struck 7 or 8 she was to die. When she went in she was gorgeous. Had a gorgeous hair. She had a face that didn't need any makeup. It looked like just beautiful enamel. Flawless skin. Beautiful feet. They put her in the Bastille. She never went to sleep. She had the tolling of the bell of Notre Dame. When they went in the morning that 21 year old woman was a hundred and one. A face that didn't have a mark at a thousand. It was pleated. It had shrunken. The color had gone. Her hair turned as white as snow in a night. Why? Because she was bedding the agony of laying that lovely head on the guillotine that would come down and chop it off. I like the hymn that says. Lo the tokens of his passion though in glory still he bears. White hair is a sign of purity. It's a sign of antiquity. It's a sign of suffering. And John says I saw in his hair was as white as snow. His feet were like burnished brass. His face like the sun in its strength. His eyes were living coals of fire. His voice as sound and majestic as roaring water. What did we sing this morning? Oh I was going to have you sing it. You stole my thunder there. Oh that with yonder sacred throng. Listen are we going to wait till we get there to fall at his feet? Are we going to worship him to all eternity? Don't you think it's time we did a bit of homework? She somehow sanctifies this woman. She says I don't care what they say. It's a spank party. They could take me and throw me out of the door. But I'm going to risk it anyhow. It's a chance of a lifetime. Exactly what you have. You've only one life to live. You say I have no box of spank nards to take. Are you sure? Maybe your box of spank nards is your pride. Maybe it's a career. Maybe you're itching for a pub. She opened her lid. She took the most costly thing that she had. And that's what worship demands. It demands saying no friend I'm sorry I can't come to dinner. I haven't spent enough time with the Lord today. No friend I can't do this. Because you see so many of us are caught up in activity. Activity is service and service and showmanship. And I still reiterate that you could have won a hundred people to Christ every day of your life and disappoint the Lord Jesus. Like the diplomat. One of the ambassadors of the famous Napoleon used to go around the world and everybody went. He bought a treasure to his wife. And one day he bought a supremely beautiful vase from the Orient. And he said darling look at that. She said I don't want that gift. I want you. You're always a way lovely. She put her arms around and he said. Like so many Frenchmen they said. No I have someone else I love. He said keep your gift. Oh yes it may involve sacrifice. It may involve leaving home. But wait a minute. And it may involve service to people who are stinking and naturally wouldn't really want to go to them. But wait a minute. When did you last get Jesus by the feet and worship him and adore him and pour out your gratitude and your love until the angels wondered what on earth was going on. Oh the critic stood there and he said. Well of course she's just an emotional woman. Do you know how much that's worth. We put price tags on everything don't we. Do you know how much that ointment is worth. You see what the stupid woman has done. She's wasted it. One of them has wasted it. I think you're getting a smell of it even this morning. How could she have wasted it. He says the fragrance filled the room. No no no no. The fragrance not only filled the room. The fragrance has filled the world ever since. She took a box of ointment very precious. And she broke it and put it on his feet. If she put it on herself it would have lasted maybe an hour or two. But it lasted. I always get a lift preaching this message. I preach it a few times. A man said to me once. I've heard one of your sermons four times. You'd be amazed how many times I've heard them. And some of them don't give me a lift. But this always. I get back more than I give out if I give anything out. You see first of all we want to give. But no no. There was a purification in one sense. You see nobody washed the dust of the world off his feet. They didn't wear holes. And they got grip between their toes. And the slave had to wash their feet. That's why there was a slave at the door who washed everybody's feet. But she washed his feet with tears. She wiped them with the hair of her head. She could have anointed. She used tears instead of water. She used a hair of her head instead of a towel. She could have done it the cheap way. She could have put oil on his head. That was cheap. But she took ointment. That was the best thing. That was the most costly thing. But wait a minute. If she'd had it on her body when she was dead it wouldn't have mattered too much. Or even when she was alive. But you see here's to me the punchline of the story is this. That when she had washed his feet. And wiped his feet. And then poured the oil. Apparently the ointment on his feet. What did she do? She wiped his feet again. With the hair of her head. Well do you get the point? You don't. Well what she poured out on him came back on her. It was a double. It was a blessing to him. But wherever she went that fragrance was there. And he'd go past it. Oh that's the most. Like you say oh that's Chanel or that's something else. That's the most amazing. The most aromatic. Pungent. Powerful. Beautiful. And she still cast the ointment in the worst. I wonder where that woman got that ointment. She poured it out on him. It came back on her. That's why there's a twofold attitude in prayer. One is pouring out. Even if you use prayer to that degree. And then there's a waiting until the dew drops. The dew falls. And I remind you again. Dew never falls on a windy morning. God said he would be as the dew unto Israel. And the dew only drops when there is stillness. The old Quaker poet John Greenleaf Whittier wrote that lovely hymn. Dear Lord and master of mankind. Forgive our foolish ways. We ought to sing it every day. We ought to sing that in the government. Forgive our foolish ways. But the last time it says drop thy still dews of quietness. Till all our striving cease. Take from our souls the strain and stress. And let our ordered lives confess the beauty of thy peace. Breathe through the heats of our desire. Thy fullness and thy balm. Let sense be dumb. Let flesh retire. Speak through the earthquake, the wind or the fire. Or the still small voice of calm. All this old hymn, an old English hymn. Frieda Hambry Allen wrote this. It's beautiful. Within the veil. You know when you go into the secret place. The door not to be disturbed for two hours. And maybe you'll start off with prayer. And maybe you'll enter into praise. But you should finish up with adoration. And worship. And Frieda Hambry Allen says within the veil. Be this beloved thy portion. Within the secret of thy Lord to dwell. Beholding him. Until thy face his glory. Thy life his love. Thy lips his praise shall tell. Within the veil. For only as thou gazest upon the matchless beauty of his face. Canst thou become a living revelation. Of his great heart of love. His untold grace. Within the veil. His fragrance poured upon thee. Like the woman poured the ointment. Without the veil. That fragrance shed abroad. Within the veil. His hand shall tune the music. Which sounds on earth. The praises of thy God. Within the veil. Thy spirit deeply anchored. Thou walkest calm. Above a world of strife. Within the veil. Thy soul with him united. Shall live on earth. The resurrection life. She poured out the ointment. This man must have felt pretty bad don't you think. Watching all this go on. There's a table loaded with food. I don't know that he ever took a bite of food. There's no record of it in any of the stories. Maybe he wasted a fortune on it. Jesus wasn't wanting food. He wanted worship. God wants you to work yourself to death. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. What does it say? Kill yourself, testify. It says worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Do the other but don't do it. Unless your soul is bathed in him. Unless you're anchored deeply in him. Unless the fragrance of God is on you. Now I don't know that Jesus took a spot of anything to eat. Or drank anything. I think maybe this man was saying you know what. I just about missed it and wasted everything. I just wish Jesus could see it my way. You know I tried for about 20 years to get God to see things my way. And he wouldn't. So I had to give up and see things his way. Jesus didn't want food. How do you know? Well I'll tell you what. The devil, there's a lot of things you could say about him. But he's a grade A student you know. He knows the answers. He'll never ask you to do what you can't do. He'll never ask you to walk on water. He said to Jesus. Get some of those rocks and turn them into bread. He knew he could do it. Look, if you want to know how valuable worship really is. The devil was prepared to give God the whole world if he'd worshiped for five minutes. Does that make you realize how valuable worship is? You just fall down once and say and worship me. And in fact in that would mean I'm in subjection. You're a lord, you're a master. And if you just fall down and worship me for five minutes I'll give you all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil, Jesus didn't say they're not yours to give anyhow. They were his in one sense to give. He ruled governments to a certain degree. And wicked systems. And yet Satan so wanted worship that he said I'll give you the world. No you can't. Jesus. He said we're going to turn stones into bread. You say the last one miraculously didn't do it. Well I think he did it. Where's the record? Well one morning he called some disciples over the sea and he said boys come and eat. We used to sing a hymn in the old days. Come and dine the master callers. Come and dine. There they met their hearts desire. Bread and fish upon the fire. Do you think Jesus went shopping for fish? Do you think he knocked the baker up? It wasn't daylight. Do you think he knocked the baker up at one o'clock and said hey could you make a few hot buns right away? Because I want to give my disciple boys a treat. Poor boys they're tired fishing and all that. I think Jesus. This isn't in any book. It'll come up. Winky's going to put it down. But anyhow. I think that he put some stones on the floor and he just said become bread. And they did. And he said to the devil there I'll do it when I want not when you want. That's the way to get victory. You can do the right thing at the wrong time but you never do the wrong thing at the right time. I think he made bread there just to snub the devil and laugh at the devil. But again there's no evidence that Jesus ever took anything. All the dignitaries are there. I don't know the disciples and others were there. And yet a little unnamed woman is the only one listed. She's listed in millions and millions of copies of the word of God. I don't know what happened the week after. Crowds of people were sobbing and saying and they were pointing. I think there was just one woman who was really happy at the crucifixion. It wasn't the mother of Jesus necessarily. I think it was this Mary. She looked at those feet. They had a nail through them and blood running off them. And she said to think last week I had those feet in my hands. I'm glad I did it. While the critics said what's she wasting money. Jesus said she's done it against my burial. The rough thing about this to me is this. That if you take the 26th chapter of Matthew and you read the story again. It puts another slant on it. That to me is terrible. Because it says that he went into the house of Simon the leper. Does that do anything for you? You say he couldn't go into the house of Simon the leper. A man wasn't allowed in. That's right. There came a day when Simon went to his wife and said. Darling I've kept this away from you so long I can't. Oh she said you've got leprosy. Don't use the towels. Don't touch the children. And he went to the temple and they pronounced him unclean. And he went to the gate of the city and they pronounced him unclean. And he lost citizenship. And he lost fellowship. And he lost every relationship. And he went up the road begging and crying. I'm unclean. And they'd throw him a coin he was unclean. Well what is he doing at home? Well there's only one reason I know that he's at home. Is that one day he met Jesus. And Jesus cleansed him because nobody else could heal leprosy. He runs back to the gate of the city. And they said we know you Simon. You're a successful businessman. You're a leper. And he says well look. Oh you've got flesh like a baby. What beautiful hands. And he ran to the temple. And the priest said don't come and defile God's house. And he said I can't defile it. Look at my hands. And they said what beautiful hands. And she looked through the lattice and said Don't come near. I know you want to see the Jewel. Don't come near. You're a leper. And he said darling I'm no leper. Oh what beautiful hands. How did he get cleansed? I don't know any other way. There was no other way known to man that a man could be healed of leprosy except that Jesus healed him. That's incredible. If Jesus hadn't have healed him he'd still be up there with bugs on him. His flesh would be dropping off. I've been in the leper colony and preached to lepers. I've seen men without ears. Without cheeks. A man you could see down his throat because all the flesh was eaten off. You could see his working. And in that tropical atmosphere it stunk like a manure heap. In some of the greatest meetings I was ever at people without fingers and pus running off them because they had no medication were clapping their hands and singing my Jesus I love thee I know thou art mine. They fancy quiet all dressed up and keep diadems on doing their stuff on TV. A man was a leper was cured and he forgot to worship Jesus. My God I say reverently how careless and forgetful what ingratitude we could have. He was a leper. Well in case you forgot you're a leper too. Because in the Old Testament leprosy is a type of sin. There's no cure for it. And one day Jesus went somebody said to me don't shake hands with the leper but I felt alright I'll take the risk and I shook hands with that leper all his stubby fingers. And I said I love you and the tears rolled down what cheeks he had and the women there beautiful women with half a cheek or ears off or noses off and other things. And you saw leprosy working. Say if Jesus hadn't stopped you somewhere on the road you wouldn't be getting a life sentence. Women you might have had three or four we had girls in Teen Challenge how they looked as though they'd left school with as many as three illegitimate kids and they couldn't tell you how many men they'd slept with whether they were black or yellow or red or black or white or what they wouldn't know they'd just live that lousy life. But I tell you one morning when we went into the chapel and I and they said but the raven is going to talk this morning let's sing our national anthem not the national anthem and they stood up and they began to sing do you know what they sang? There were about 30 or 40 young women on this side beautiful girls all clean now prostitutes here not weekend prostitutes they were second wives to some of your most famous film stars and ball players and they were redeemed and here were boys who were murdered and raped and then every devilish thing amazing grace how sweet the sound wow I was in tears before we got to the first stanza and so were they they knew the pitch for which they'd been listening isn't it amazing that sometimes come on let's be honest you're so busy working for him you never touch him during the day we're trying to say Lord I serve you no I'm going to bed dumb tired I can't even read my Bible I'm too tired to pray well that's not the way to go about it early in the morning give him the dew of the morning when your mind is fresh and your body is fresh he forgot to kiss Jesus he forgot to wash his feet he forgot to anoint his head and I don't really got another chance briefly that's not my best word but let me say briefly somebody said you say well finally well I learned that from the apostle Paul in his epistle he says finally he writes three more chapters you expect me to be better than Paul there's one story a little more mysterious to me than this story it's the story of the most favoured woman on earth there's a new controversy on now it's in this present edition of Christianity Today because the Pope the new Pope this nice boy said recently that he wants to restore veneration to the Virgin Mary and now there's a discussion about it we ought to honour her well I honour her I call her the Blessed Virgin because the scripture does but if you tell me she's co-redemptrix I'll ask you why she wasn't crucified with Jesus she's not co-redemptrix with Jesus you can't pray to the Virgin Mary it's a lie it's the biggest flaw the devil ever put on the earth is the Roman church well nobody said amen but it's still true so let's go on this woman privilege of all the women in the world to bear the Son of God isn't that something the heaven of heavens cannot contain God and he was pressed into the matrix of the Virgin Mary God contracted to a stand incomprehensibly made that and there was a big convention on and people like conventions so Joseph and Mary decided they would go and they went and they had a great time met all the in-laws and out-laws and enjoyed the great preaching enjoyed everything else and then of course they had to go home oh it was a majestic thing you know when they went up to the temple they sang the hymns the latter part of the book of Psalms which is the Jewish hymn book of course and the women went first and the men went behind they were doing what we sing they were marching to Zion the beautiful city of God and the women sang a verse and the men responded and the women sang and the men responded the women went first just in case the brigands came down the hills to molest them and destroy and so forth and they went back the same except you see like little streams joining up the congregation got big, big, big when they were going but as soon as they came out of Jerusalem the crowd got less and less and they began to filter off and at night Mary goes very tired and her feet are aching and finally she says excuse me have you seen my husband have you seen Joseph was her husband in the eyes of others oh yes there he is that tall nice yes he said I like your husband very much and she said well where are we going to sleep Joseph no holiday inns and all those trimmings we have no black top rugs just dirt, roughness, dust must have been something following a million people run your teeth over it you turn over your teeth you clean them there'll be that much grit on your lips well I don't know where we're staying darling but I'll tell you what this is about the hottest day and my feet are blistering she says well mine are too you had a bad day too did you get a drink at the well no I didn't boy those people were very sanctified yesterday very selfish today they were elbowing at the well you couldn't get a drink I haven't had a drink since this morning I haven't and I'm tired well how did Jesus get up oh Mary come on don't fool I'm too tired you know he's been with you all day with me he's not been with me he's been with you he hasn't been with me well I thought he was you do you know what it says they supposing he was in the company that word supposing is used twice in the New Testament when the woman went to the garden and she heard somebody moving and she supposed he was the gardener so she supposed Jesus wasn't there when he was there they supposed Jesus was there and he wasn't there we suppose he's in the company so what shall we do what do you think she'd do she said something right I've told him many times not to go off here and there let's go to sleep Joseph I suggest she cried herself to sleep that night after all if you lost a 12 year old boy and there were so many burglars and thieves and wild animals will you go to sleep she cried herself to sleep and they got back to Jerusalem and again she cried herself to sleep they searched everywhere and couldn't find him or maybe he's at the pool of Siloam he likes to watch the fish and they thought he wasn't there maybe he's still down at the bazaar he'd love to see those men selling flip flops no he wasn't there and finally they said well where can he be isn't it amazing that they lost Jesus right after they'd been to a great convention a great religious feast we lose him sometimes because God speaks to your heart there's blessing on your heart and you go outside outside the sanctuary as a theatre you've left or something and you talk and talk and you dissipate the blessing God put there there are times I think we ought to walk home and just quietly not even speak maybe husband and wife and just get still and say Lord sink this deep into my heart so I'll never need to learn that lesson again and they searched and they couldn't find him and finally they said well we've searched the temple it was a vast place and they couldn't find him and then they said finally there's a room there yes but only the chief rabbis and the dignitaries go there we can't go there but love gets desperate and maybe Joseph opened the door and he said hey what was he doing was he in the pulpit giving a lecture on Daniel the left foot on Daniel's image the middle toe this is the explanation was he preaching prophecy no no no he wasn't doing anything like that what was he doing he was doing what any healthy 12 year old boy would do he was asking questions and they run up again and say don't you care about us well it sounds like the men on the sea remember when the boat lashed the boat they looked as though they were I thought the disciples loved him so much they'd have shaked him and said master how are you going to drown but they said don't you care that we perish wasn't that lovely wonder they didn't say he didn't say you stupid people I've taught you a hundred lessons and you still think of number one first care us thou not that we perish hey what are you doing is this your gratitude for us we've taught you with tears we've been heartbroken and here you are sitting in the temple asking questions oh his answer was beautiful wasn't it but he said well don't you think I should be about my father's business I wonder if that's the first time he testified I wonder if that's the first moment he realised what his mission on earth really was do you think it was Ed you're not sure Tim what do you think he doesn't know either so that's very helpful thanks that I give my contribution I'm not sure either but maybe it had dawned on him maybe while he was still in the sanctuary God had said to him this is where it all begins at twelve years of age and from there for another twenty years he was locked up in silence and locked up in stillness and every great man it seems to me that God has used here in the word of God he had to be sent to an isle of Patmos the greatest brain the world ever had I think was the apostle Paul after Jesus himself and he had three years in the wilderness and John went to the isle of Patmos and Moses learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians it says there in the seventh chapter of the Acts of the Apostles he was a scholar he was brilliant how do you know because he was learning all the wisdom of the Egyptians that's why and it says he was mighty in word it doesn't say he was an orator because he stammered but he was mighty in word he made laws before he got the ten commandments and when he was brilliant and cultured and armies bowed down to him and everybody revered him God sliced his life after all he lived in three forties first forty years he lived he lived in the palace as a king as a prince the second forty years he was in the school of silence and the third forty God took him up at eighty years of age can you find me a man that's come to spiritual greatness and hasn't lived in isolation just one thing I remember going in one day Dr. Paul had got some books and he never put them on shelves this way he stood them up this way because he couldn't bother to read them and I said to him I remember I was in London last week talking to Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones in Westminster Chapel and he sent his greetings to you and he said that your book The Pursuit of God will be living when most modern writing theological writing in America has perished and he said Glenn he pointed like that his office one thing I don't like about my office it's too small my other office was larger I feel it trumps me a bit but anyhow you could almost do this in Dr. Paul's office you couldn't touch the walls it was so small but he looked at it and he said Glenn that book The Pursuit of God is the distilled wisdom that God gave me for 25 years in this office I've never been out of it you've never what? I've never had a vacation in 25 years I've listened and listened and listened to God and what God has taught me he said I put it down there in that book oh it is a good God thing when they cheat oh yes I like to read the book as a matter of fact I play tapes going to work and have a great time well that's alright but listen you can play tapes from here to ends of the earth it won't satisfy the Lord it may satisfy you he wants you to worship him in spirit and in truth he wants you to put everything else out and it will cost something she bought a small box and I finish with this but I'll tell you what she did she bought it while he was living just before he died and I'm glad it mentions that it was a pound do you know why? because after he died you'd have seen two men going up a hill with a staff and on it they had a great big bag swinging and it had exactly 100 pounds of that same ointment brought by Nicodemus someone estimated it was worth more than a million dollars he was going up to that costly mausoleum or whatever you want to call it where they were going to bury Jesus because he made his grave with the rich in his death too and these two men were going up the hill with a 100 pound weight of the same ointment that that woman bought one pound of and do you know what? that one pound of ointment meant much more to Jesus than the 100 pounds why? because he was living when he got it people have been shocked disgusted arguing with me when I said look if you leave a million dollars to a missionary group or a gaffer leave it to a gaffer ok when you die God won't give you 10 cents for it at the judgment seat will he? no hardly no well here's a rich man let's say here he is in a lovely casket and he's left a million dollars and we're all glad he's left a million dollars to a salvation army and a million to David Wilson and a million to a gaffer and just before I put the lid down I want you all to come and look at him and I want you to keep one scripture in mind when you touch remember he's left two million dollars for these three distinctive groups now as you come and look at him he's unarmed he's got a lovely hundred thousand dollar suit or something with a jewel around his neck just look at him and as you look at him I want you to remember this scripture the Lord love us what? a what? he doesn't look too cheerful to me maybe the change is in the amplifier I'd better look I don't know whether they have or not but the Lord love us a cheerful giver that man would still have his million dollars he didn't give it death took it from him he met a bandage on the road called death who said get out put it out like a light one pound of ointment while she was living Jesus said I've got more out of this than all your fancy show and all the celebrities here and everything she has ministered them to me I can feel her feet I can smell the fragrance I can see the love she laid of glory there she's got hold of the whole thing because he said didn't he you don't worship in Jerusalem we Christians don't have to go to Rome we don't have to go to Mecca the Irish called every day we go to prayer we used to pray there a lot and one man used to call every time we prayed and we prayed on earth there's no floor in the hut just drops a shell in a field and you melt in the grass melt in the dirt and sometimes the water would run through like that but he used to call the same old thing where we seek thee thou art found and every place is hallowed ground the disappointed Christ thou gavest me no water thou gavest me no oil thou gavest me no case we need to ask him I need to ask him and you need to ask him how we may learn to worship him in spirit and in truth