NOBLE SERVICE

“She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial” (Mark 14:8 NKJV).

Shortly before the crucifixion, Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, anointed the Lord Jesus Christ with some costly ointment in view of His coming death. This great deed of consecration was criticized by the disciples, but the Lord Jesus defended her. Thus, we want to note her faith and her faithfulness.

Her faith - “She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.” Mary believed the Lord Jesus when He predicted that He would die. Here, she showed her faith in the Lord by anointing Him with perfume for the burial. In those days people did not embalm like we do today. Instead, they would wrap the dead body in linen and covered it with various perfumes to ward off the odor of decay. So, in anointing the Lord Jesus with this perfume, Mary was saying by her actions that she believed that the Lord Jesus would die. Her faith was not a popular faith, since only a few actually believed this prediction by the Lord Jesus about His death. Even the disciples did not believe the Lord when He spoke of His death. But Mary believed. No wonder the Lord Jesus commended her.

Her faithfulness - “She has done what she could.” This is such an encouraging statement since God does not require us to do what we cannot do or what we have not been gifted to do. He only requires us to do what we are capable of doing. Many times, if we cannot do much that would impress people, we think we cannot be of any service. Sometimes we complain of lack of talent and opportunities. But that is not our problem in service; our problem is that we do not do what we can do. If doing what we can do is not enough, then God will take care of the rest. Maybe all we can do at church is fill a pew. We may not be able to teach, but we can speak a kind word to others and exhibit a cheerful countenance. If we can do these things, then by all means let’s do them. For it will honor the Lord and help His work, and God will commend us for it.

(Adapted from Butler’s Daily Bible Reading 2)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God!”

Robert Murray McCheyne (1813 – 1843)

Scottish Preacher, Pastor and Poet

Word Study

Exorcists

In Acts 19:13 we read, “Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches!" (NKJV).

“Exorcists” is the Greek word exorkistḗs (ἐξορκιστής= ex-or-kis-tace'). It is made up of two words: “ek” which means out, and “horkizo” which means to make one swear. Thus the word means to administer an oath, to bind by an oath. It is a solemn and earnest appeal to someone to do something. Exorcists were common in the ancient world, even among the Jews (Matt. 12:27; Acts 13:6). Ancient exorcists attempted to expel demons by invoking the name of a more powerful spirit being. In this sole New Testament use, it describes the sons of Sceva who attempted to drive out demons by invoking the “name of the Lord Jesus.” Their ritual formulas were very different from the authority delegated by the Lord Jesus Christ and exercised by the apostles. The name of Jesus is no magical charm to be used by whoever wants to use it; these exorcists learned the hard way.

“Fear Nots” Found in the Bible

“And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts” (Mal. 3:5 KJV).

Did You Know…

The City of Jerusalem that the apostle John saw in his dream had 12 foundations on its wall were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ (Rev. 21:14).

Bible Quiz

According to the Matthew’s Gospel, where was the last place Satan took the Lord Jesus in order to tempt Him?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: After His resurrection, the Lord Jesus speaks with the disciples and then He asks for food. What do they give him to eat? A piece of broiled fish and honeycomb (Luke 24:42).

Names For the Lord Jesus in the Bible

“OUR PEACE”

"For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation!” (Eph. 2:14 NKJV).

1. Meaning – OUR PEACE speaks of the Lord Jesus as the One who has brought us peace with God and with others.

2. Insights – The Lord Jesus Christ is not merely a “Peacemaker,” but is “Himself” our peace. Through His death, He destroyed the barriers that had separated Jews and Gentiles, making peace between both groups. Even more than making peace between the two groups, the Lord Jesus Christ reconciled them both to God. The Lord Jesus Christ is the One who gives us peace with God; He Himself is our peace.

Did You Know – Christian History

John Nisbet was born in 1627 in Hardhill, Scotland. He was a Scottish covenanter (a 17th Century Scottish religious and political movement).

Nisbet fought for the Reform faith on the European continent during the Thirty Years’ War. Upon his return, he learned that the government of King Charles II had driven hundreds of pastors from their pulpits and carried out many other outrages of a religious nature. This led a number of Scots to take up weapons.

In 1666 Nisbet was with a group of Covenanters who were was attacked. Outnumbered and short of weapons, the covenanters fought valiantly but suffered defeat. Nisbet was badly wounded and left for dead. He recovered, and wandered as a fugitive for years. Later, while at prayer with three others, Nisbet was attacked by a party of dragoons, led by one of his cousins. In the desperate fight that followed, he was again seriously wounded. The men with him were killed on the spot, but Nisbet was kept alive because of the reward offered for him. Taken to Edinburgh, he was tried. He told his captors he would rather die than lie (pretending to change his faith). He was condemned to death.

On Friday, December 4, 1685, the soldiers led him to his execution. Witnesses said his face shone in anticipation of glory. He exclaimed, “I have longed these sixteen years to seal the precious cause and interest of precious Christ with my blood. And now, now He has answered and granted my request, and has left me no more ado but to come here and pour forth my last prayers, sing forth my last praise to Him...mount that ladder, and then I shall quickly get home to my Father’s House...”

On the scaffold, he preached a farewell sermon, urging the onlookers to prepare for the Day of Judgment. The soldiers did their best to drown his voice by beating their drums. John Nisbet sang a last psalm, and they swung him off into eternity.

A Little Humor

An archeologist was digging in the Negev desert in Israel and came upon a casket containing a mummy. After examining it, he called the curator of a prestigious natural history museum. “I have just discovered a 3,000 year-old mummy of a man who died of heart failure!” exclaimed the excited scientist. To which the curator replied, “Bring him in. We’ll check him out.” A week later, the amazed curator called the archeologist, “You were right about the mummy’s age and cause of death. How in the world did you know?” “Easy. There was a piece of paper in his hand that said, '10,000 Shekels on Goliath.’”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“He who provides for this life but takes no care for eternity is wise for a moment but a fool forever!”