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[Pause] Oh Lord, our Lord, how grateful we are for the gift of this day. This is a day you have made. Help us to rejoice and be glad in it. We invoke your presence upon us as we worship you in spirit and in truth.

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Grant that the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts will be acceptable in your sight. Oh Lord, our strength and our redeemer. Amen. [music] ♪ The sun shall glow so warmly be ♪

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♪ Mary, Jesus, if you please ♪ ♪ May the all-king come to thee ♪ ♪ Let it be, dear Lord, let it be ♪ ♪ I am weak, but Thou art strong ♪

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♪ Jesus keeps me from all wrong ♪ ♪ Come beside His fire flow ♪ ♪ As I walk, let me walk close to Thee ♪ ♪ Through this world of wars and snares ♪

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♪ If I fault you, Lord, who cares? ♪ ♪ Oh, it's with my word and strength ♪ ♪ None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee ♪ When my people's life is o'er,

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Time for me won't be no more. I may gently sail me o'er To thy kingdom's shore, to thy shore Touch the glows of a waffling hill

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Brandish Jesus in new glee ♪ Maybe walking close to me ♪ ♪ Let it be, dear Lord, let it be ♪ - Bow our heads.

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We give thanks to you, O God, of the marvelous expressions of your grace which we witness moment by moment, day by day. We bow before your presence in reverence and humility.

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You kept us safely through another week. You protected us from dangers seen and unseen. So we pause to say thank you. Thank you for our family.

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Thank you for friends. Thank you for forgiving us when we sin. Now, Lord, we pray that you will cleanse us so that we may worship you in purity of heart and love.

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We pray especially for those whose names have been called as objects of our prayer concern. You know the special blessing that each one of them stands in need of. Healing, strength, abiding assurance of your presence. We pray that you will visit them and grant them that assurance.

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And help us all to realize that we must run this race with patience. And that it is a time when we must work, for night cometh when no man can work. Be with us until that day when you shall call us from labor to reward. It is our prayer in Jesus' name, Amen.

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[Music] Mallory! Mallory! (6x)

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Surely he died on Calvary Every time I think about Jesus Every time I think about Jesus Every time I think about Jesus, surely he died on Calvary.

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Don't you hear the tambourine? Don't you hear the tambourine? Don't you hear the tambourine? ♪ Sure he died on Camberley ♪

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♪ Don't you hear him calling his father? ♪ ♪ Don't you hear him calling his father? ♪ Don't you hear him calling his father? Surely he died on Calvary Don't you hear him say it's finished?

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Surely He died on Calvary. Jesus, were it my salvation. Jesus, were it my salvation. Jesus, were it my salvation. Surely He died on Calvary. Still I knew You, Lord my Jesus. Still I knew You, Lord my Jesus. Still I knew You, Lord my Jesus, Surely He died on Calvary, Calvary, Calvary, Calvary, Calvary, Calvary, Calvary, Surely He died on Calvary.

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♪ And they mocked him 'til he died ♪ ♪ Two thieves were hanging beside him ♪ ♪ Just to share the agony ♪ ♪ But one of them, one of them cried out to him ♪

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♪ Oh Lord, remember me ♪ Oh, what a shame to kill him out there on that old rugged cross Oh, but such, such a death was needed just to rescue all the loss Oh, his blood was made a ransom just to set the captives free

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And I know, I know I'm into death The Lord will remember me Oh, will the Lord remember me When I have gone to war, When I have gone to the sea, Will he hear his love and joy? Yes, he will cry for me, He will cry for me, He will say, "Let me be free!"

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Oh, and when I reach those early, early days, Lord, He will remember me Oh, what, what a shame to kill Him I bear on that old rugged cross About what hell be such, such a death worthy

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just to rescue all the lost, oh his blood was made a ransom just to set the captains free And I know, I know, I know I'm into it The Lord will, He will remember me Oh, will the Lord remember me

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Oh, when I am far below Oh, when I'm crossed on over ♪ And I'm sure that she will hear ♪ ♪ His love that's sure, oh yes ♪

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♪ Yes, he heard my fever cry from behind her ♪ ♪ Set me free, oh and when I reach ♪ ♪ The pearly, pearly gates, the Lord will ♪ ♪ Yes he will ♪

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♪ Oh, will the Lord ♪ ♪ Will the Lord ♪ ♪ Will he remember me ♪ ♪ Remember me ♪

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♪ Oh, when I have had to go ♪ ♪ Oh, when I have had to go ♪ ♪ Oh, steps, children ♪ ♪ He will hear ♪

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♪ His love has grown ♪ ♪ Oh, yes ♪ ♪ Yes ♪ ♪ Yes, He heard my prayer ♪

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♪ He was proud of my prayer ♪ ♪ Set me free ♪ ♪ Oh, and when I reach the early, early age ♪ ♪ Oh, He will ♪

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♪ Oh, He will ♪ ♪ Yes, He will ♪ - Amen. Let's all say amen again.

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- Amen. - Amen. We hear this word recorded in the Gospel according to St. John, the twelfth chapter, beginning with the fourth verse. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, Why

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Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had to bear what was put therein. Then Jesus said, "Let her alone against the day of my burying, has she kept this.

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For the poor always you have with you, but me you have not always." The subject of the message, "Perfume for the Poor." Six days before the Passover festival, Jesus and his disciples are gathered for a meal, meal celebrating Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage.

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At this time, Jesus takes refuge in the quiet seclusion of a home in Bethany. He is the honored guest for dinner. Lazarus, whom he had recently raised from the dead, is at the table with him. Martha, who takes special delight in preparing Jesus' favorite food, is in the kitchen.

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There are others at the table whose names are not mentioned. But while they are gathered around the table, Mary suddenly comes and bows before Jesus, bringing a jar of very precious perfume. It was costly.

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It was the real thing, genuine spikenard, imported from India. Now good perfume comes in small bottles, especially if it's good perfume. It's expensive, very expensive. So, in that it is so costly, Mary has gone to some sacrifice to prepare this as a special

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gift to Jesus. It represents quite an investment of energy and financial resources. It is said that a pint of such perfume would cost a year's wages. So Mary comes into the presence of the Master, breaks the seal on the flask, and pours the

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perfume on the feet of our Lord. Perfume for our Lord's passion, perfume with its sweet scent, with its pleasant odor and delightful fragrance. What place does perfume have in our Lord's passion?

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Where does perfume relate to suffering? How does perfume relate to disease, pain, violence, and death? Perfume and passion, are they related? No way we are prone to say.

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We want perfume when we are dressed up, looking our best, going out for a pleasant evening, a pleasurable moment. We do not usually relate perfume and passion. We don't relate it to suffering.

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Those who have seen the movie that is being shown at this time concerning our Lord's passion, many have complained that it's all right, but it has too much suffering, too much brutality, much violence, but it no doubt seeks to make real to the viewers what our Lord experienced in his passion. Suffering is something we'd like to avoid as much as

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possible and as long as possible. So perfume for our passion. This is a passage and an experience in the closing period of our Lord's life. How do we relate perfume with human suffering?

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Mary in anointing Jesus with perfume relates to his passion, his suffering. Perfume for our pleasure, yes. But what about our passion, our suffering? It's easy to have a sour attitude rather than a sweet spirit when suffering comes.

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Some of us can't miss a meal without acting up, perfume for our passion. And then many times when we don't feel well and we're grouchy, We seek to justify this tasteful attitude by saying, "I didn't feel well. I'm sick." A man or a woman should share these experiences with a sweet spirit.

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That's the message it has for us. Sweet spirit. In fact, perfume for our passion, let it be the most expensive, and let it be meaningful in the daily application of our lives.

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Jesus said, "Sweet are the uses of adversity." Now, most of us don't find much sweetness in adversity. We find a lot of bitterness in adversity, but not sweetness. And if we truly identify with our Lord's passion, we will have some perfume for our Lord's suffering.

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And you know how we treat perfume. We don't, as a rule, pour it out. It's a drop. A dab here and a dab there.

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A little bit here, a little bit there. That's the way. If it's expensive, we want it to last a long time.

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If it's expensive, perfume. So, here comes Mary into the presence of Jesus with perfume that she pours out. I want to emphasize that. pours it out upon his feet and wipes his feet with her hair. Now women did not

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customarily undo their hair in public in those days. To do so was considered a disgrace, but Mary suffers public humiliation for Jesus' sake. The fragrance of the perfume fills the house. What she did occurs in a small area of of the house, but the fragrance fills the entire house. According to ancient rabbinic

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wisdom, the fragrance of good perfume spreads from the bedroom to the living room, or the dining room. We'd like to confine our use of perfume too often to the bedroom, but it ought to go to the dining room and the living room. In fact, it ought to go from room to room until it covers the entire house.

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If we have perfume for our passion, it spreads. Those who bear hardships, those who endure suffering in a sweet spirit, become a powerful influence in the lives of others. Have you ever seen a person who was confined and going through a great deal of suffering,

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but they had such a sweet, sweet spirit? That's a marvelous gift! And it is one that the disciples of Jesus Christ are to demonstrate, to manifest. Some of us witnesses of that experience, people who suffer with such a sweet, sweet spirit,

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are connected with them, are those who have learned to endure hardships without bitterness. So in this particular instance, the fragrance of the perfume that Mary brings into the room filled the house. And one would think that those that witnessed this particular event would have been delighted with the demonstration of such thoughtfulness, devotion, and generosity.

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this is not the case Judas Iscariot an insider one of the disciples of Jesus lifts his voice in protest he murmurs against what this dear lady has done he raises the question why was this perfume not sold for 300 pieces of silver and given to the poor. As I said before, a year's wages had been poured out before them, and

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Judas did not look upon this as a sacrifice, rather he considers it a waste. John Godfrey search what may be considered a parenthetic expression. Judas' remark is not so much because he cares for the poor, it is because he is the treasurer of the band of disciples.

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And the writer lets us in on a secret. He has stolen funds from the treasury and used them for himself. And so he raises his voice in protest, protest against self-surrender. protest is being raised today by those who are like Judas. Why give this to the

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church? Why spend so much time working in this particular area? Why do this? It's a waste of your time. There are always those critics who find fault when you're doing good. Why should we have a daycare center when most of our membership have no children? Why? Why Why should we permit a charter school to operate in our facility when we don't have children for a charter school? Why?

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And so, like Judas, these questions are still raised. Why? It's a waste! Why not just do those things that we're comfortable with? Why sacrifice to send people across the seas and foreign missions? We have needs right here at home!

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All of us have heard those arguments. Judas is raising these questions. Why? As we look at the challenge of our times, we always have those who protest.

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But the voice of the Master is heard, the voice that is raised above that of Judas. Jesus says to him, "Leave her alone, leave her alone Judas, she's doing a great work. You are a mere spectator engaged in criticism, leave her alone. given me her most expensive gift leave her alone she has bestowed her highest

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loyalty upon me leave her alone she has exhibited praiseworthy generosity leave her alone she's poured out perfume anointing my feet leave her alone But I keep what remains when we prepare for my burial. Mary recognized and appreciated the high honor of having dinner with Jesus. So Jesus is the

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honored guest and Jesus speaks in defense of what Mary has done. Leave her alone don't don't bother her don't pick on this dear lady do not direct your jealousy upon this humble and reverent act that this woman has done leave her alone don't bother her about her extravagance you know it's interesting to

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look at the things that we are extravagant about, seriously extravagant about. Judas wants to be extravagant in his thinking and in the actions that are taken regarding the poor. He said this could have been sold for 300 pieces of silver and given to the poor. He becomes a passionate advocate for helping the poor.

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When this dear lady comes and gives a sacrificial offering, the most sacrificial offering possibly her life to Jesus. And Jesus answers this protest raised by one of his own disciples, Judas, and says to him, "Leave her alone. Do not use your concern for the poor to masquerade and and defense of your selfishness.

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She has given me her best. She has anointed my feet with precious perfume. She has made my journey one of the meaningful experiences of my passion, pilgrimage. And poor, Judas, you have with you always the poor.

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We don't usually think of the poor as having expensive perfume. Usually expensive perfume is a sign of wealth. We think of the poor as using cheap perfume.

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When I was coming up, I thought, "Evening in Paris," and I've told you about that. I thought that that was good perfume. And when I was courting my wife,

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I sent her one of those big boxes evening in Paris and I waited to receive a compliment and it never came. So the poor usually are expected to have, but Jesus, Jesus has it so arranged that the poor can have the most expensive perfume and the gospel the saving work that God performs

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through Jesus Christ has come to the poor. You know when Jesus begins his ministry He said, "I have come to preach the gospel to the poor." In other words, no matter what your condition may be, no matter how rough, how tough life may be, there is good news that comes to us through Jesus.

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You can have a sweet disposition. not live in the finest house, drive the finest car, but you can have the best spirit. It's accessible to everyone. It's that perfume that is arranged for the poor. And that's good news. We can get as close to God as we are willing to become

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in sacrifice, in dedication, in compassion, the pool. Jesus said, "The pool you have with you always, but you don't always have me." So So we are to use the opportunity that is ours now and use it profusely. We celebrate that feast today.

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Mary anoints the feet of Jesus with costly perfume and this particular woman calms out by her action a special niche in history. Oh, she didn't come there to do that. She just came there because she loved Jesus

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and Jesus had profoundly impressed her. But in coming and making that sacrifice, pouring out this perfume upon the feet of the master, she carves out a special niche in history

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And we have some verses of scripture that remain, that are passed on from generation to generation because she performed this wonderful act. So no matter what your condition may be,

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no matter how unpleasant it may be, no matter how much you may be a victim of the contradictions of this life, Lift up your head because there is perfume.

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There is a sweet spirit that God gives to his child. And it's available no matter how much you may not have, much money as the Psalms put it, you may not be as rich as Rockefeller,

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but you can be rich in spirit. And God blesses this woman in a marvelous way, and all who follow in her train with a sweet treat. It's a kind of anointing that's available to everybody.

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That's good news, brothers and sisters, this anointing. fact those pilgrims who had come through the exile and been able to come back to Jerusalem and walk around on that holy ground and greet one another they had a they had a common spirit of love and sacrifice and understanding and and

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And it is expressed in a hymn, "Oh, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." It is like the precious ointment, yes, that ran down from the head of Aaron. upon his beard and even to the skirts of his garments.

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Thanks be to God. And that same anointment is expressed by that shepherd boy David when he says, "The Lord is my shepherd.

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He anoints my head with oil. He anoints me with his spirit. He anoints me with long suffering. He anoints me with patience.

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He anoints me with hope. He anointed me with his love. Thanks be to God. We extend to you the privilege to accept this God

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through Jesus Christ as daughter of your life as we sing. The door of the church is open.

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You may come by letter, by Christian experience, or on professional faith. [Music] The door of the church is open. [Music]

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♪ There is a place of quiet rest ♪ ♪ Near to the heart of God ♪ ♪ A place where sin cannot coalesce ♪ ♪ Near to the heart of God ♪

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O Jesus, whence may we now Sit from the heart of God? No loss awaits before thee Here to the heart of God

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There is a place, O come, let's be, here to the heart of God. A place where we can live, you'll be, here to the heart of God. O Jesus, Lord, Redeemer, Send from the heart of God,

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Hold us awake before Thee, Near to the heart of God. ♪ There is a place of full release ♪ ♪ Near to the heart of God ♪

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♪ A place where all is joy and peace ♪ ♪ Near to the heart of God ♪ ♪ Oh, take us back, redeem us ♪ ♪ Sick from the heart of God ♪

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♪ Hold us when we're poor ♪ ♪ Be near to the heart of God ♪ - It was on the night when Jesus was betrayed that He observed this meal with His disciples.

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