Some people come into our lives
00:00:31.12\00:00:34.23
and they leave
footprints on our hearts.
00:00:34.26\00:00:37.04
And we are never ever the same.
00:00:37.07\00:00:39.76
I'm forever
indebted to Dr. Joe Barnes
00:00:39.79\00:00:42.15
for some of the insights
00:00:42.18\00:00:43.32
that I'm about to
share with you this morning
00:00:43.35\00:00:44.96
from Luke 7 and Luke Chapter 8.
00:00:44.99\00:00:47.51
If you have your Bibles,
00:00:47.54\00:00:48.60
I hope you open
them to that passage.
00:00:48.63\00:00:51.91
You know, there's
something intriguing,
00:00:51.94\00:00:55.75
mysterious, but
exciting about art.
00:00:55.78\00:01:00.04
Not just looking at it,
00:01:00.07\00:01:01.88
but getting into
the act yourself,
00:01:01.91\00:01:03.78
in some sort of way by drawing
00:01:03.81\00:01:05.47
or painting,
creating, designing.
00:01:05.50\00:01:08.62
There's a thrill, a
sense of accomplishment
00:01:08.65\00:01:10.95
of creating
something of your own.
00:01:10.98\00:01:14.42
Well, during the last century
00:01:14.45\00:01:16.16
a relatively new
form of art was introduced
00:01:16.19\00:01:18.86
and it's captured the
attention of many, many people
00:01:18.89\00:01:21.04
and it's called the collage.
00:01:21.07\00:01:23.85
I haven't really decided
whether I like it or not yet
00:01:23.88\00:01:26.37
but many of you know
it as the little bits
00:01:26.40\00:01:27.99
and pieces of paper,
other things put together
00:01:28.02\00:01:31.36
either by glue
or even by welding
00:01:31.39\00:01:33.53
to make some type of a picture
or some kind of a statue.
00:01:33.56\00:01:36.66
Many of the times
they are very wild
00:01:36.69\00:01:38.52
and weird
contrivances and creations.
00:01:38.55\00:01:41.75
Way back at the
turn of the century,
00:01:41.78\00:01:44.26
art was still very much
idealistic and visionary.
00:01:44.29\00:01:48.74
Artists tend to deal
with things with the way
00:01:48.77\00:01:51.88
they wish they were
rather than as they really are.
00:01:51.91\00:01:55.17
Well, a gentleman came along
by the name of Kurt Schwitters
00:01:55.20\00:01:57.88
and he suddenly turned away
00:01:57.91\00:01:58.99
from all this
kind of idealistic art,
00:01:59.02\00:02:01.58
you know,
painting things so prosy
00:02:01.61\00:02:03.43
and so perfect and so pretty.
00:02:03.46\00:02:05.36
And Schwitters began
00:02:05.39\00:02:06.53
what we call the
humanization of art,
00:02:06.56\00:02:09.54
making it much
more human, realistic.
00:02:09.57\00:02:13.63
And he turned to the scrap heaps
00:02:13.66\00:02:15.77
and the junk piles.
00:02:15.80\00:02:18.07
He picked up scraps of old
iron and broken watch works
00:02:18.10\00:02:21.15
and bizarre and absurd materials
00:02:21.18\00:02:23.01
which even the junk
man would have discarded
00:02:23.04\00:02:25.00
and he used them
in the fabrication
00:02:25.03\00:02:27.00
of his masterpieces of art.
00:02:27.03\00:02:30.09
This then is what
we call the collage.
00:02:30.12\00:02:33.26
From these scraps,
these bits and pieces
00:02:33.29\00:02:35.60
rejected by everyone else,
00:02:35.63\00:02:37.11
Schwitters would
fashion a collage.
00:02:37.14\00:02:39.79
And believe it or not,
many of these sold for $10,000
00:02:39.82\00:02:43.51
or more even while the
artist was still alive.
00:02:43.54\00:02:48.38
But, you know, the most skillful
00:02:48.41\00:02:49.95
and the most successful
collage artist of all was Jesus.
00:02:49.98\00:02:54.70
Amen.
00:02:54.73\00:02:55.76
The one we call the Christ.
00:02:55.79\00:02:58.19
Because it was
Jesus who took mankind
00:02:58.22\00:03:00.37
from the
visionary and the idealistic
00:03:00.40\00:03:02.75
and He got down to the
little real bits of life.
00:03:02.78\00:03:06.22
He didn't just
take the best in man.
00:03:06.25\00:03:08.60
He took the worst in
mankind, the refuse of society.
00:03:08.63\00:03:12.13
Individuals
people had thrown away
00:03:12.16\00:03:14.13
and they'd cast off, they said,
00:03:14.16\00:03:15.96
they're no good,
useless, valueless,
00:03:15.99\00:03:19.01
worse than that, they were evil.
00:03:19.04\00:03:22.35
But how many
times Jesus reached out
00:03:22.38\00:03:24.99
and reclaimed from the
scrap heaps of human life,
00:03:25.02\00:03:28.52
torn and twisted
bits of flesh and spirit,
00:03:28.55\00:03:31.62
and He
creatively put them together
00:03:31.65\00:03:33.38
into some of the
most amazing designs.
00:03:33.41\00:03:36.27
And magnificent masterpieces
of life were the result.
00:03:36.30\00:03:41.39
Jesus, the Artist.
00:03:41.42\00:03:43.50
He gave us the
great art of living.
00:03:43.53\00:03:47.87
In just a moment I
would like to unveil for you
00:03:47.90\00:03:50.26
one of Christ's
amazing collage of masterpieces
00:03:50.29\00:03:54.40
composed of the
sordid parts of a human life.
00:03:54.43\00:03:59.85
From the mutilated fragments,
00:03:59.88\00:04:01.63
we'll begin to see
the delicate features
00:04:01.66\00:04:04.81
of a woman's
face begin to appear.
00:04:04.84\00:04:07.70
And we'll watch the
expression change on that face
00:04:07.73\00:04:11.36
as it's tenderly
and skillfully fashioned
00:04:11.39\00:04:13.97
until at last it
reflects the loving character
00:04:14.00\00:04:16.96
of the Master Artist Himself.
00:04:16.99\00:04:21.49
Now the name of this woman
00:04:21.52\00:04:23.27
was found in
scriptures strangely enough,
00:04:23.30\00:04:25.65
is the same as
Jesus' own mother, Mary.
00:04:25.68\00:04:30.50
But the fragments
don't fit, you see,
00:04:30.53\00:04:32.25
because this is not
the Mary of Nazareth
00:04:32.28\00:04:34.45
that we've heard so much about,
00:04:34.48\00:04:36.08
but this is Mary
from the town of Magdala.
00:04:36.11\00:04:39.58
We often speak of
her as Mary Magdalene.
00:04:39.61\00:04:43.96
The first scene we see,
00:04:43.99\00:04:46.45
the first little bit
and piece of her life
00:04:46.48\00:04:51.56
is a haunted face
at the feet of Jesus.
00:04:51.59\00:04:56.57
She is a woman of a
very bad reputation.
00:04:56.60\00:04:59.39
To put it bluntly
as the Bible says,
00:04:59.42\00:05:00.87
she was a
mentally sick prostitute.
00:05:00.90\00:05:04.07
But she was so
bad the Bible says
00:05:04.10\00:05:05.85
she was
possessed of seven devils.
00:05:05.88\00:05:08.46
And you can't get
much better than that
00:05:08.49\00:05:09.98
in the scriptures
or worse as the case
00:05:10.01\00:05:12.09
may be because seven
was the perfect number.
00:05:12.12\00:05:14.34
So she was perfectly bad,
00:05:14.37\00:05:17.03
engulfed in complete darkness
of rejection and despair.
00:05:17.06\00:05:21.49
And we see her there
with the hopelessness
00:05:21.52\00:05:23.76
and the emptiness in her face.
00:05:23.79\00:05:27.93
How did she get this way?
00:05:27.96\00:05:30.41
Whose breath blew out the
light in this sensitive brain?
00:05:30.44\00:05:35.46
Well, from the scriptures
and the Bible commentators,
00:05:35.49\00:05:38.35
the little bits
and pieces of her life
00:05:38.38\00:05:40.22
can be glued together
00:05:40.25\00:05:41.44
with what we know of the culture
00:05:41.47\00:05:42.91
and the time in which she lived.
00:05:42.94\00:05:45.28
And we begin to see
this woman start to take form
00:05:45.31\00:05:48.60
and how Jesus related to her.
00:05:48.63\00:05:52.03
You see, Mary
Magdalene actually wasn't
00:05:52.06\00:05:54.62
from the town of Magdala at all.
00:05:54.65\00:05:57.14
Obviously, she
lived there for a time
00:05:57.17\00:05:58.88
but this wasn't her real home.
00:05:58.91\00:06:00.93
Her real home was in Bethany.
00:06:00.96\00:06:04.20
She was a suburbanite.
00:06:04.23\00:06:05.75
She lived in this very
fashionable Beverly Hills
00:06:05.78\00:06:08.44
community on the
outskirts of Jerusalem
00:06:08.47\00:06:10.55
where many of the elders
and leaders of the people,
00:06:10.58\00:06:13.34
they lived, and they commuted
in every day a mile and a half.
00:06:13.37\00:06:16.93
She was one of three children
00:06:16.96\00:06:18.35
as far as we know and
they all lived together.
00:06:18.38\00:06:20.85
She had an older
brother named Lazarus
00:06:20.88\00:06:23.55
and an older sister
by the name of Martha.
00:06:23.58\00:06:26.51
So evidently she
was the youngest child,
00:06:26.54\00:06:28.43
very lovely, intelligent,
and highly sensitive.
00:06:28.46\00:06:33.78
Now I don't know what Martha
00:06:33.81\00:06:36.05
or her brother
actually did for a living
00:06:36.08\00:06:37.91
but we do know
that there were times
00:06:37.94\00:06:39.70
that Martha
apparently catered feasts.
00:06:39.73\00:06:43.37
In fact, we find her
often cooking in the Bible.
00:06:43.40\00:06:46.24
And apparently, she would
use her younger sister Mary
00:06:46.27\00:06:48.39
to help in the catering.
00:06:48.42\00:06:49.97
You know, when those
dignitaries in Jerusalem
00:06:50.00\00:06:52.60
often put on a feast and
this was quite regularly evident
00:06:52.63\00:06:55.20
that when you read the Bible,
00:06:55.23\00:06:56.43
no doubt Martha was the one
who did the catering for it.
00:06:56.46\00:07:01.23
Probably at one of the
feasts, a feast put on by Simon,
00:07:01.26\00:07:05.49
Mary became acquainted
00:07:05.52\00:07:06.55
with this
sophisticated man of Israel.
00:07:06.58\00:07:09.14
A handsome man, a
man who had position,
00:07:09.17\00:07:11.88
he had everything you'd want.
00:07:11.91\00:07:13.22
He was a scholar, he was
a great teacher in Israel.
00:07:13.25\00:07:15.56
In fact, the Bible
says he was a Pharisee.
00:07:15.59\00:07:20.63
And as this feast
at Simon's progressed,
00:07:20.66\00:07:23.22
I can well see Simon
kind of looking over there
00:07:23.25\00:07:25.57
and he
discovered this beautiful,
00:07:25.60\00:07:27.15
young, sensitive girl.
00:07:27.18\00:07:30.41
He discovers in her
one with a keen mind.
00:07:30.44\00:07:34.98
Now I'm sorry to say
this but this is the way
00:07:35.01\00:07:36.65
it is outside of
the western world
00:07:36.68\00:07:38.49
but back there in those days
00:07:38.52\00:07:40.63
only men were
supposed to receive
00:07:40.66\00:07:42.63
an education in Jewish culture.
00:07:42.66\00:07:45.19
Rarely did a woman have
the opportunity to learn.
00:07:45.22\00:07:48.64
But history tells
us that occasionally
00:07:48.67\00:07:51.23
you'd find someone like Mary
00:07:51.26\00:07:53.58
in whom they
would spot great talent
00:07:53.61\00:07:55.74
and they would be
given a private education.
00:07:55.77\00:07:59.09
So I can almost see
Simon at this feast looking,
00:07:59.12\00:08:01.88
"What a beautiful girl,
what an intelligent girl,
00:08:01.91\00:08:06.26
you know, she
needs an education."
00:08:06.29\00:08:09.06
Maybe he talked with
her brother and her sister,
00:08:09.09\00:08:11.17
maybe even the parents,
if they were still alive,
00:08:11.20\00:08:13.04
we don't know at this time.
00:08:13.07\00:08:14.49
But whatever the case,
00:08:14.52\00:08:15.55
I wouldn't be at all surprised
00:08:15.58\00:08:17.05
that Simon arranged to become
kind of her private tutor.
00:08:17.08\00:08:21.85
And as time progressed,
00:08:21.88\00:08:23.15
Simon was very
attracted to Mary,
00:08:23.18\00:08:26.09
apparently Mary was to him, too.
00:08:26.12\00:08:27.71
In fact, he said he loved her.
00:08:27.74\00:08:32.15
And there came a
point where Simon became
00:08:32.18\00:08:33.69
so interested in
Mary that the Bible says
00:08:33.72\00:08:36.48
he seduced her and soon it
became a full-blown affair,
00:08:36.51\00:08:40.38
only they kept it hushed
up between the two of them.
00:08:40.41\00:08:44.19
Now Mary was not
this kind of a girl.
00:08:44.22\00:08:48.01
But she was a girl.
00:08:48.04\00:08:49.57
She had normal human responses.
00:08:49.60\00:08:51.33
And when a person of
this particular position
00:08:51.36\00:08:53.84
took an interest in her,
00:08:53.87\00:08:55.36
well, it was kind of natural
00:08:55.39\00:08:56.78
for her to respond to an extent.
00:08:56.81\00:08:59.45
So as Simon
continued to tutor her
00:08:59.48\00:09:01.84
or whatever else
he may have done,
00:09:01.87\00:09:03.89
there came a point
where he said, "Look, Mary.
00:09:03.92\00:09:08.95
Why not? Everybody does it.
00:09:08.98\00:09:11.59
They don't say
much about it publicly,
00:09:11.62\00:09:13.11
but this is the way it is.
00:09:13.14\00:09:14.64
I love you.
00:09:14.67\00:09:16.57
Mary, how could
anything so good be so bad?
00:09:16.60\00:09:19.60
In other words, if I love you
00:09:19.63\00:09:21.07
and nobody else is
getting hurt, why not?"
00:09:21.10\00:09:25.01
Apparently, it
sounded good to Mary,
00:09:25.04\00:09:28.09
and she became involved.
00:09:28.12\00:09:32.23
Now the scripture
doesn't say exactly
00:09:32.26\00:09:34.03
what happened after that,
00:09:34.06\00:09:35.16
but the Bible gives
us a little assistance
00:09:35.19\00:09:37.10
to help us read
between the lines.
00:09:37.13\00:09:39.15
That in the Jewish
culture this kind of activity
00:09:39.18\00:09:41.75
was not looked upon
favorably as a rule.
00:09:41.78\00:09:44.94
If a young woman was involved
00:09:44.97\00:09:47.45
to the place where
she became pregnant,
00:09:47.48\00:09:49.90
they found out who the man
was and they stoned them both.
00:09:49.93\00:09:53.37
For God had told
the Hebrew people,
00:09:53.40\00:09:55.11
"If you find two
that are involved
00:09:55.14\00:09:56.69
in immorality, stone them."
00:09:56.72\00:09:59.60
So needless to say,
this kept down immorality
00:09:59.63\00:10:02.38
to the bare
minimum most of the time.
00:10:02.41\00:10:05.06
But in this particular case
00:10:05.09\00:10:07.72
it wasn't a Hebrew
culture in the fullest sense.
00:10:07.75\00:10:10.97
Because the
Romans were in charge.
00:10:11.00\00:10:13.83
Now the Romans did not look
on immorality like the Jews.
00:10:13.86\00:10:18.50
Therefore, the Romans said,
00:10:18.53\00:10:19.82
"Oh, no, it's absolutely
illegal to stone anybody
00:10:19.85\00:10:22.30
for something as
simple as immorality,
00:10:22.33\00:10:25.15
that's a common
practice in Rome."
00:10:25.18\00:10:27.42
So at this time
there were more than
00:10:27.45\00:10:30.43
the average
number of young ladies
00:10:30.46\00:10:32.36
who found themselves
in this delicate position.
00:10:32.39\00:10:36.71
When a girl found herself
00:10:36.74\00:10:37.99
in this
situation in their culture,
00:10:38.02\00:10:40.53
about the best thing that
she could do to save her family
00:10:40.56\00:10:42.94
from utter disgrace
by this terrible thing
00:10:42.97\00:10:44.81
was to just go away.
00:10:44.84\00:10:47.14
And one of my Bible
commentaries indicates
00:10:47.17\00:10:49.24
that the fact
that Mary of Bethany
00:10:49.27\00:10:52.00
became Mary of Magdala
00:10:52.03\00:10:54.97
was because she
had to leave home.
00:10:55.00\00:10:58.56
I'm highly suspicious.
00:10:58.59\00:11:00.76
We have a
pregnancy on our hands.
00:11:00.79\00:11:03.55
And as we continue
with these bits and pieces,
00:11:03.58\00:11:05.52
you'll see that
this fits together.
00:11:05.55\00:11:08.83
I can imagine, the day came
00:11:08.86\00:11:10.24
when she perhaps discovered
that this was the case.
00:11:10.27\00:11:13.59
I can see her going
over to Simon's house
00:11:13.62\00:11:15.35
and she has kind of
mixed feelings there.
00:11:15.38\00:11:17.87
And it isn't good
to be in this position,
00:11:17.90\00:11:19.85
not without being
married, that's obvious.
00:11:19.88\00:11:22.90
But, you know, in a sense,
00:11:22.93\00:11:24.06
well, they had sort of
been talking about marriage,
00:11:24.09\00:11:27.07
maybe this would just
hurry things up a little bit.
00:11:27.10\00:11:30.82
Can't you see her
going in and saying,
00:11:30.85\00:11:33.85
"Hi, honey, Simon.
00:11:33.88\00:11:36.92
Simon, I've got
something to tell you.
00:11:36.95\00:11:38.43
I have some good
news." "Oh, what's that?"
00:11:38.46\00:11:43.05
She says, "I'm
gonna have a baby."
00:11:43.08\00:11:47.50
And he looks at
her coldly, and says,
00:11:47.53\00:11:50.47
"So what else is new?"
00:11:50.50\00:11:52.63
And she says, "But Simon,
I'm pregnant, it's your child."
00:11:52.66\00:11:58.71
"Drop dead. I'm a man in Israel.
00:11:58.74\00:12:01.97
Look at how they respect me.
00:12:02.00\00:12:03.98
Why should I be
bothered with you?
00:12:04.01\00:12:06.16
You're just a girl. Get lost."
00:12:06.19\00:12:09.43
Let me tell you,
Mary came alive and fast.
00:12:09.46\00:12:13.12
She suddenly learned
there are people in this world
00:12:13.15\00:12:15.28
that love you for what they can
get out of you and that's all.
00:12:15.31\00:12:19.24
"How can you say
this?" she says to Simon.
00:12:19.27\00:12:21.87
"I love you with all my heart.
00:12:21.90\00:12:23.89
I've loved you with all my body
00:12:23.92\00:12:25.28
and you say, you don't love me?
00:12:25.31\00:12:28.15
You don't want me?"
00:12:28.18\00:12:30.06
"Well, honey, it's not
a matter of not wanting,
00:12:30.09\00:12:32.60
how could I possibly take you?
00:12:32.63\00:12:34.15
I mean, people can
still count, you know.
00:12:34.18\00:12:36.32
When they figure
out what the problem is,
00:12:36.35\00:12:37.90
I'll lose my position in town.
00:12:37.93\00:12:40.38
Now look, girl, the best
thing to do is to just get lost
00:12:40.41\00:12:43.29
so your family
won't be embarrassed,
00:12:43.32\00:12:44.76
so you won't be embarrassed
and so I won't be either."
00:12:44.79\00:12:48.07
And no doubt he was the one
00:12:48.10\00:12:49.45
who persuaded her
that she ought to go away.
00:12:49.48\00:12:52.98
Go up to Magdala, go
to a relative somewhere
00:12:53.01\00:12:55.62
till this is all over.
00:12:55.65\00:12:57.52
"What will I do with the
baby?" she may have asked.
00:12:57.55\00:13:00.75
"That's not my
worry, kid, that's yours."
00:13:00.78\00:13:03.72
And she learns another
fact, that there are people
00:13:03.75\00:13:06.95
who will not only
take advantage of you
00:13:06.98\00:13:09.02
and use you as a thing to an end
00:13:09.05\00:13:10.64
but there are people
who after doing all this
00:13:10.67\00:13:12.50
and leaving you in tragedy,
00:13:12.53\00:13:14.37
they have no
sympathy and they don't care.
00:13:14.40\00:13:19.24
She was
possessed of seven devils,
00:13:19.27\00:13:22.35
the Bible clearly says.
00:13:22.38\00:13:24.33
That is her mind wasn't
altogether there anymore.
00:13:24.36\00:13:27.46
Her thoughts, her
attitudes had been destroyed.
00:13:27.49\00:13:30.87
The evil spirits
were partly the thoughts
00:13:30.90\00:13:33.01
and the feelings
that she now possessed.
00:13:33.04\00:13:35.39
That she had
degenerated from that happy,
00:13:35.42\00:13:38.13
youthful, carefree,
intelligent, innocent Mary
00:13:38.16\00:13:41.45
to a Mary dashed to
pieces in ruin and despair.
00:13:41.48\00:13:45.14
Seven demons.
00:13:45.17\00:13:48.56
When I took a course
in clinical psychiatry
00:13:48.59\00:13:50.86
for ministers at the California,
00:13:50.89\00:13:53.24
Lutheran hospital a
number of years ago,
00:13:53.27\00:13:54.48
I learned about
the stages of guilt
00:13:54.51\00:13:56.96
that lead a person to despair.
00:13:56.99\00:13:59.96
It began back there
00:13:59.99\00:14:01.39
when Simon first approached her.
00:14:01.42\00:14:04.50
The first demon,
she rationalized first.
00:14:04.53\00:14:08.54
And that's where it all begins.
00:14:08.57\00:14:10.36
We permit our
human minds by reasoning
00:14:10.39\00:14:14.24
to make the
unreasonable, reasonable.
00:14:14.27\00:14:17.23
And it seemed so right to Mary.
00:14:17.26\00:14:19.44
It was just so
good, it couldn't be bad.
00:14:19.47\00:14:23.09
But then came guilt, guilt.
00:14:23.12\00:14:27.36
That always follows
when we rationalize.
00:14:27.39\00:14:29.68
Even though we
don't admit it, guilt,
00:14:29.71\00:14:31.91
it rots away at the very
core of your personality.
00:14:31.94\00:14:34.48
And any medical
doctor will affirm
00:14:34.51\00:14:36.09
that the real
problem with young people
00:14:36.12\00:14:38.09
and immorality
is not VD or AIDS,
00:14:38.12\00:14:41.38
but the terrific negative impact
00:14:41.41\00:14:43.57
it has especially on the
girl's emotional health of mind.
00:14:43.60\00:14:47.59
But, folks, when a person
deviates from doing right,
00:14:47.62\00:14:51.16
it does something to them.
00:14:51.19\00:14:52.59
It affects, it
warps, it destroys.
00:14:52.62\00:14:57.41
And so after
Mary had been engaged
00:14:57.44\00:14:59.63
in these activities
with Simon for a while,
00:14:59.66\00:15:01.67
the guilt came.
00:15:01.70\00:15:03.30
It began to eat away
00:15:03.33\00:15:04.37
at the very core
of her personality.
00:15:04.40\00:15:06.18
And so the next feeling came,
00:15:06.21\00:15:08.58
worse than the former, fear.
00:15:08.61\00:15:12.07
What if somebody
knows? What if this gets out?
00:15:12.10\00:15:15.60
Will he marry me, or won't he?
00:15:15.63\00:15:17.63
All of these terrible fears
00:15:17.66\00:15:19.04
seize an individual
like cold, icy fingers.
00:15:19.07\00:15:21.58
And what do you do?
00:15:21.61\00:15:22.99
Well, Mary went to Simon
00:15:23.02\00:15:24.89
but when she
heard his cold reproach,
00:15:24.92\00:15:27.06
her next instinct was escape.
00:15:27.09\00:15:30.34
Got to get away. Hide.
00:15:30.37\00:15:32.71
And she
apparently ran off to Magdala
00:15:32.74\00:15:35.21
to find some place of privacy.
00:15:35.24\00:15:36.93
And people tend to do
that with any type of sin,
00:15:36.96\00:15:40.01
think of Adam and Eve
in the Garden of Eden,
00:15:40.04\00:15:41.96
hiding, they try
to hide it at first.
00:15:41.99\00:15:45.40
But then Mary had to
go through something else.
00:15:45.43\00:15:49.43
The tragedy.
00:15:49.46\00:15:51.73
What do I do with
this child? What do you do?
00:15:51.76\00:15:55.17
Does she keep the
child and in her society,
00:15:55.20\00:15:57.29
everybody in the
neighborhood says,
00:15:57.32\00:15:58.52
"Oh, oh, oh, look
at this young girl,
00:15:58.55\00:16:00.73
she's not married."
00:16:00.76\00:16:02.80
And what kind of an impact
00:16:02.83\00:16:04.07
would this have
on the growing mind
00:16:04.10\00:16:05.81
of the child to hear
all of the interesting terms
00:16:05.84\00:16:08.71
that the neighbors call him?
00:16:08.74\00:16:11.40
Or does she take that
child to a fostered home
00:16:11.43\00:16:15.07
and act like she has no child,
00:16:15.10\00:16:17.37
but she sneaks out on the side
00:16:17.40\00:16:18.85
and she's looking
over the fence of the walls
00:16:18.88\00:16:21.02
to see if sometime
she might see that child
00:16:21.05\00:16:22.73
and when she
does her heart breaks,
00:16:22.76\00:16:24.59
tears her apart because
she wants it for her own,
00:16:24.62\00:16:26.69
she can't have it.
00:16:26.72\00:16:29.37
Or does she just
give up the child,
00:16:29.40\00:16:32.80
let somebody else adopt it.
00:16:32.83\00:16:35.16
And down in the
depths of her mind
00:16:35.19\00:16:37.00
for the rest of her life wonder,
00:16:37.03\00:16:39.58
is that child all right?
00:16:39.61\00:16:41.34
I wonder where it
is? What does she do?
00:16:41.37\00:16:45.74
I imagine Mary took the
course that many take today.
00:16:45.77\00:16:50.87
You know, I'm only 15,
16, whatever age she was,
00:16:50.90\00:16:55.13
I can't be a fit mother
and the child needs a father.
00:16:55.16\00:16:59.22
Best thing to do is
just give up the child.
00:16:59.25\00:17:03.55
Maybe she gives it up.
00:17:03.58\00:17:04.61
And all of a sudden there now
00:17:04.64\00:17:05.72
comes tremendous
tensions inside her.
00:17:05.75\00:17:08.86
A terrible guilt now,
worse than the adultery,
00:17:08.89\00:17:11.79
worse than the fornication.
00:17:11.82\00:17:13.26
The guilt of giving up
the child she had produced.
00:17:13.29\00:17:18.96
Now a new feeling takes over.
00:17:18.99\00:17:21.71
As she thinks back on the
way that Simon handled this,
00:17:21.74\00:17:25.36
there burns a hatred in her
that she'd never known before.
00:17:25.39\00:17:28.70
Not just for Simon, but
a hatred for men, period.
00:17:28.73\00:17:33.71
She's half insane and the fear
and the shame and the tension
00:17:33.74\00:17:37.20
and the hatred
intensifies her guilt
00:17:37.23\00:17:39.28
as this chain
reaction mushrooms.
00:17:39.31\00:17:40.90
And at last she says,
"I'm terrible, I admit it.
00:17:40.93\00:17:45.82
I'm bad. I'm the worst.
00:17:45.85\00:17:49.50
You know, if I'm this
bad, nothing can help me.
00:17:49.53\00:17:52.27
I might as well
keep right on going,
00:17:52.30\00:17:53.64
I might as well
make a business of it.
00:17:53.67\00:17:55.42
At least I can eat."
00:17:55.45\00:17:58.11
So she became a prostitute.
00:17:58.14\00:18:01.21
Every last time she
looked into the eyes of a man,
00:18:01.24\00:18:03.95
all of that horrible tragedy
would come back to her mind
00:18:03.98\00:18:06.47
until she finally
couldn't take it anymore.
00:18:06.50\00:18:08.48
The guilt had reached
unbearable proportions
00:18:08.51\00:18:11.10
and she was
possessed by seven devils,
00:18:11.13\00:18:13.89
perfectly hopeless despair.
00:18:13.92\00:18:16.16
There's no way out.
00:18:16.19\00:18:18.46
That spark of
life grew so tense,
00:18:18.49\00:18:20.81
the stress so great, the
worry and hatred and fear
00:18:20.84\00:18:23.86
so intense that her mind snaps
00:18:23.89\00:18:26.89
and the flickering
flame at last goes out
00:18:26.92\00:18:29.78
in that sensitive mind.
00:18:29.81\00:18:32.24
Darkness settles in,
00:18:32.27\00:18:36.46
and the life
merges into that halfway
00:18:36.49\00:18:39.29
haunted nightmare
world of the mentally sick
00:18:39.32\00:18:42.06
where she's now more
dead than she is alive.
00:18:42.09\00:18:47.26
And this is where we find her
00:18:47.29\00:18:48.67
in that first
piece of the collage
00:18:48.70\00:18:51.88
with the emptiness in her face.
00:18:51.91\00:18:54.98
There she is.
00:18:55.01\00:18:57.15
When suddenly
out of the darkness
00:18:57.18\00:19:00.20
of her mental
disease, a voice, "Mary."
00:19:00.23\00:19:05.52
And she looks up...
00:19:07.23\00:19:09.29
and she can see
the form of a man.
00:19:09.32\00:19:11.76
All of the nightmare
starts all over again.
00:19:11.79\00:19:13.86
The Bible says six times
Jesus tried to get through
00:19:13.89\00:19:16.81
and heal Mary but He couldn't.
00:19:16.84\00:19:18.92
He couldn't
break through to her.
00:19:18.95\00:19:20.29
She would just see
the face of another man
00:19:20.32\00:19:22.15
and back she would go.
00:19:22.18\00:19:24.31
Well, He could have
said, "Just forget it."
00:19:24.34\00:19:26.96
But He never did.
Oh, how He loved her.
00:19:26.99\00:19:31.44
Finally, the seventh time
she heard it again, "Mary."
00:19:31.47\00:19:36.92
And she looks up
00:19:36.95\00:19:38.87
and now she focuses
into the eyes of Jesus.
00:19:38.90\00:19:42.69
Amen.
00:19:42.72\00:19:44.37
There's no sensuality
there. She can't believe it.
00:19:44.40\00:19:47.78
She hates men, but not this one.
00:19:47.81\00:19:51.99
And for the first
time in her adult life
00:19:52.02\00:19:54.13
she looks into the face of a man
00:19:54.16\00:19:55.64
that loved her for herself,
00:19:55.67\00:19:57.62
not for what He
could get out of her.
00:19:57.65\00:20:00.23
Who loved her as a person,
not as a thing to play with.
00:20:00.26\00:20:04.57
And she found her sanity.
00:20:04.60\00:20:06.67
She found herself
when she found her God.
00:20:06.70\00:20:10.69
And out of the depths
of despair came a gratitude
00:20:10.72\00:20:13.35
so deep that there's
never been another person
00:20:13.38\00:20:15.57
in scripture as
far as we know that
00:20:15.60\00:20:17.25
ever loved like
this woman loved.
00:20:17.28\00:20:20.26
She who had been
the rejected one,
00:20:20.29\00:20:22.52
through Christ
had the breakthrough.
00:20:22.55\00:20:24.61
I mean, He could
have extinguished
00:20:24.64\00:20:26.03
every spark of hope in
her soul, but He did not.
00:20:26.06\00:20:29.26
His fathomless love
lifted her from despair and ruin
00:20:29.29\00:20:34.14
and this woman
became Mary, the beloved.
00:20:34.17\00:20:39.61
Amen.
00:20:39.64\00:20:41.95
Scene 2.
00:20:41.98\00:20:43.89
The next piece in this collage
00:20:43.92\00:20:48.32
is now the face of interest.
00:20:48.35\00:20:52.86
The Bible tells us
there in Luke 8:1- 3
00:20:52.89\00:20:56.24
that Mary and the other women
00:20:56.27\00:20:59.23
of similar
reputation followed Jesus
00:20:59.26\00:21:02.38
wherever He went, administered
to His personal needs
00:21:02.41\00:21:05.74
and to those of the disciples'.
00:21:05.77\00:21:07.74
Do you ever wonder
who did His washing?
00:21:07.77\00:21:11.37
Who did His ironing?
00:21:11.40\00:21:13.90
So help me,
folks, it wasn't Peter.
00:21:13.93\00:21:17.06
Who cooked His meals?
It surely wasn't John.
00:21:17.09\00:21:20.31
He was always
arguing with his brother,
00:21:20.34\00:21:21.89
who's going to
be on the right hand
00:21:21.92\00:21:22.96
of Jesus' side in the kingdom.
00:21:22.99\00:21:24.88
Folks, the women did.
00:21:24.91\00:21:27.15
They administered to
Jesus' personal needs.
00:21:27.18\00:21:30.96
You know, as Jesus came along,
00:21:30.99\00:21:32.39
we usually picture it this way,
well, it would be first Jesus,
00:21:32.42\00:21:34.74
then Peter, James and
John and the other disciples.
00:21:34.77\00:21:37.15
But no, no, no,
that's not the way it was.
00:21:37.18\00:21:39.91
It was Jesus,
the three disciples,
00:21:39.94\00:21:42.55
then the women, and
the rest of the disciples.
00:21:42.58\00:21:46.52
And it says in your Bible
00:21:46.55\00:21:47.65
that the elders of
the town would come out
00:21:47.68\00:21:50.36
when they heard
that Jesus was coming by
00:21:50.39\00:21:52.04
and they would
stand in the town gates
00:21:52.07\00:21:53.63
and they would
cluck, "Tsk, tsk, tsk,
00:21:53.66\00:21:56.34
look at the Messiah.
00:21:56.37\00:21:58.57
Look at the kinds of people,
00:21:58.60\00:22:00.51
you know, birds of a
feather flock together.
00:22:00.54\00:22:03.05
Prostitutes, mentally sick.
00:22:03.08\00:22:05.23
What kind of a Messiah is this?"
00:22:05.26\00:22:07.42
And they taunted Him
at the gates with this.
00:22:07.45\00:22:10.82
Oh, but Jesus
loved too much to care.
00:22:10.85\00:22:14.43
He would not
separate Himself from those
00:22:14.46\00:22:16.87
which He had helped like this.
00:22:16.90\00:22:18.71
He knew that Mary could
not have stood the separation.
00:22:18.74\00:22:22.78
But one day Jesus
evidently said to her, "Mary."
00:22:22.81\00:22:25.69
"Yes, Lord." "Mary,
it's time to go home."
00:22:25.72\00:22:29.38
"Bethany?" asked
Mary. "Yes, back to Bethany.
00:22:31.62\00:22:35.34
It's time for you to
meet your family again."
00:22:35.37\00:22:37.29
"Oh, I can't.
I've disgraced them.
00:22:37.32\00:22:41.92
Well, surely the
word has gotten out."
00:22:41.95\00:22:43.54
"Mary, it's time to go home."
00:22:43.57\00:22:47.22
"But, Lord, I can't.
00:22:47.25\00:22:49.09
Simon still lives
there in that town."
00:22:49.12\00:22:51.69
"Mary, it's time to go home."
00:22:51.72\00:22:55.39
And home they went.
00:22:55.42\00:22:57.22
When they got there,
00:22:57.25\00:22:58.40
Martha fixed a nice
meal, where is Mary?
00:22:58.43\00:23:03.47
Again at the
feet of Jesus. Amen.
00:23:03.50\00:23:06.51
The face of interest, now. Amen.
00:23:06.54\00:23:09.18
In fact, Martha finally
comes out and barks at Jesus,
00:23:09.21\00:23:11.98
"Lord, why don't
You tell my sister
00:23:12.01\00:23:13.16
to come into the kitchen
and help me fix the meal?"
00:23:13.19\00:23:15.12
And Jesus made
something very clear to her.
00:23:15.15\00:23:16.98
Now let's stop
right there, Martha.
00:23:17.01\00:23:19.12
Martha, you're
a wonderful woman,
00:23:19.15\00:23:20.76
you're a terrific cook,
00:23:20.79\00:23:22.02
I love to eat
pizza at your house.
00:23:22.05\00:23:24.84
But Martha, your sister Mary
00:23:24.87\00:23:26.85
has chosen
something far more important
00:23:26.88\00:23:28.83
than all the food in the world.
00:23:28.86\00:23:30.20
Amen.
00:23:30.23\00:23:31.26
She is hanging onto every word
00:23:31.29\00:23:33.57
that I give her, My
words of love to her.
00:23:33.60\00:23:37.01
It's the heart that
comes first, Martha.
00:23:37.04\00:23:39.82
All of the
activity, even in the church
00:23:39.85\00:23:41.65
isn't going to save you.
00:23:41.68\00:23:43.43
It's the love of the
Father in heaven and this alone.
00:23:43.46\00:23:45.74
Amen.
00:23:45.77\00:23:46.81
And Martha, that's
what Mary has chosen.
00:23:46.84\00:23:50.05
Let her alone.
00:23:50.08\00:23:53.15
The next picture, the
next little bits and pieces,
00:23:53.18\00:23:58.55
the feast at Simon's house.
00:23:58.58\00:24:02.09
No doubt Martha is
catering the feast.
00:24:02.12\00:24:05.78
Now as you know,
having studied the Bible,
00:24:05.81\00:24:07.64
I'm sure you realize
00:24:07.67\00:24:08.70
they did not
have tables and chairs
00:24:08.73\00:24:11.03
like we have in
the western society.
00:24:11.06\00:24:12.09
They ate laying down at
a very low little table,
00:24:12.12\00:24:14.73
reclining usually
on their left elbow,
00:24:14.76\00:24:16.69
leaning up
against the next person.
00:24:16.72\00:24:18.56
Mary apparently
came over to help Martha
00:24:18.59\00:24:21.17
and she sees
Jesus reclining there,
00:24:21.20\00:24:23.56
Simon on one side
and Lazarus on the other.
00:24:23.59\00:24:26.63
Jesus, eating at the feast
00:24:26.66\00:24:27.99
with His feet
sticking out towards her.
00:24:28.02\00:24:31.94
Now Mary had heard Jesus tell
00:24:31.97\00:24:34.36
that He was
going to die very soon.
00:24:34.39\00:24:37.89
Not one single Apostle, not
one of the disciples caught on,
00:24:37.92\00:24:42.09
but she had.
00:24:42.12\00:24:43.39
And she went down to
prepare for the funeral
00:24:43.42\00:24:45.46
and had spent an
entire year's salary
00:24:45.49\00:24:48.59
to buy the most expensive
00:24:48.62\00:24:49.93
embalming
perfume that there was,
00:24:49.96\00:24:51.75
an alabaster box of spikenard
00:24:51.78\00:24:54.08
from the
mountains of the Himalayas.
00:24:54.11\00:24:55.74
What's an average year's salary
here in this area of the world?
00:24:55.77\00:24:59.79
$35, $40,000? $50,000?
00:24:59.82\00:25:02.91
She spent the whole thing
00:25:02.94\00:25:05.40
for what was for
princes and kings.
00:25:05.43\00:25:08.91
She thought, as
she saw those feet,
00:25:08.94\00:25:13.28
soon they won't be walking,
00:25:13.31\00:25:14.87
they won't be walking
the highways of Palestine.
00:25:14.90\00:25:17.06
"Why should I wait to give
that to Him at the funeral?
00:25:17.09\00:25:19.42
I'm gonna go and get it
and give it to Him now."
00:25:19.45\00:25:22.14
And she ran back home,
she got the alabaster box,
00:25:22.17\00:25:24.33
she came running
back and she broke it open
00:25:24.36\00:25:26.60
and she slipped in
and she began to pour it
00:25:26.63\00:25:28.36
right there on
the feet of Jesus.
00:25:28.39\00:25:30.04
Amen.
00:25:30.07\00:25:31.33
Now evidently because of
the way they were reclining,
00:25:31.36\00:25:34.32
she avoided being
noticed, she wasn't even seen.
00:25:34.35\00:25:37.81
But Simon, wealthy
Pharisee that he was,
00:25:37.84\00:25:40.80
he had a very
good sense of smell.
00:25:40.83\00:25:44.86
He began to sniff this
expensive embalming fragrance
00:25:44.89\00:25:47.59
and he wondered, who has died?
00:25:47.62\00:25:50.65
And he looked
around and sure enough
00:25:50.68\00:25:52.19
here is this lady
at the feet of Jesus.
00:25:52.22\00:25:54.79
Simon
immediately recognized her.
00:25:54.82\00:25:56.89
Oh, there she was, Mary!
00:25:56.92\00:25:59.68
He was repulsed, he was shocked.
00:25:59.71\00:26:02.47
He had often wondered
whatever that happened to her
00:26:02.50\00:26:04.51
since the time he
had humiliated her
00:26:04.54\00:26:06.78
and over the years,
well, they sort of kept track,
00:26:06.81\00:26:08.79
hearing little bits
and pieces of stories.
00:26:08.82\00:26:10.79
But he had not heard about
what Jesus had done for her.
00:26:10.82\00:26:14.65
He only knew her to
be an immoral outcast.
00:26:14.68\00:26:17.78
And he was horrified to have her
00:26:17.81\00:26:19.81
at his house at his feast.
00:26:19.84\00:26:22.22
And the Bible says in Luke
7:39 that he said to himself,
00:26:22.25\00:26:26.69
in other words in his thoughts.
00:26:26.72\00:26:28.52
"Oh, this man, if
he were a prophet,
00:26:28.55\00:26:32.42
would have known who
and what manner of woman
00:26:32.45\00:26:34.86
this is that toucheth
Him, for she is a sinner."
00:26:34.89\00:26:39.75
And in verse 40, I love it here,
00:26:39.78\00:26:41.80
it says Jesus
understood his thoughts
00:26:41.83\00:26:44.56
and He turned
over and He sat up.
00:26:44.59\00:26:48.02
"Simon, I have
something to say to you."
00:26:48.05\00:26:51.70
By this time the poor woman
is caught right in the act.
00:26:51.73\00:26:54.11
And she is
weeping, half tears of joy
00:26:54.14\00:26:55.98
for what Jesus had done for her.
00:26:56.01\00:26:57.77
But now she's frightened because
00:26:57.80\00:26:59.51
well, she's weeping
because she's been discovered.
00:26:59.54\00:27:01.85
And the tears
are coming down to--
00:27:01.88\00:27:03.46
On His feet, and what do you do?
00:27:03.49\00:27:04.53
She hadn't even brought a towel.
00:27:04.56\00:27:06.21
So half consciously
she lets down her long hair
00:27:06.24\00:27:09.46
and begins to
wipe His feet with it.
00:27:09.49\00:27:11.69
Well, this horrified
Simon even more because
00:27:11.72\00:27:14.28
in their culture
that was an utter disgrace
00:27:14.31\00:27:17.04
for a woman to let
down her hair in public.
00:27:17.07\00:27:19.83
And Jesus says, "Simon,
now let me ask you this.
00:27:19.86\00:27:25.01
If there were two men
00:27:25.04\00:27:27.20
and one had a bigger
debt cancelled than the other,
00:27:27.23\00:27:30.96
which one would love the most?"
00:27:30.99\00:27:32.62
Oh, Simon said, "Lord,
00:27:32.65\00:27:34.07
the one that had the
biggest debt cancelled."
00:27:34.10\00:27:37.03
And Jesus says in verses
44-46, "That's right, Simon.
00:27:37.06\00:27:42.11
You know what?
00:27:42.14\00:27:43.65
I came into this house
00:27:43.68\00:27:45.58
and according to
the laws of our people,
00:27:45.61\00:27:47.54
you were to wash my
feet or have a servant do it.
00:27:47.57\00:27:50.64
You did not, look, the
dirt is still on My feet
00:27:50.67\00:27:55.39
except where she
has wept her tears."
00:27:55.42\00:27:57.79
Amen.
00:27:57.82\00:27:59.43
"And when I came into your house
00:27:59.46\00:28:00.70
according to the laws
and customs of our people,
00:28:00.73\00:28:02.81
you were to take and embrace
Me and kiss Me with a holy kiss.
00:28:02.84\00:28:05.77
You never touched
Me with your lips,
00:28:05.80\00:28:08.43
yet she has never
ceased to kiss My feet."
00:28:08.46\00:28:10.76
Amen.
00:28:10.79\00:28:12.13
"And when I came here,
00:28:12.16\00:28:14.33
Simon, you were to give Me tonic
00:28:14.36\00:28:15.76
for My hair, all
dusty and windblown
00:28:15.79\00:28:17.72
that I might be
ready for the feast.
00:28:17.75\00:28:19.57
Did you do this? No."
00:28:19.60\00:28:22.14
By this time Mary is
standing up and she is pouring
00:28:22.17\00:28:24.50
some of that
ointment on His hair.
00:28:24.53\00:28:28.05
"Ah, Simon" says Jesus.
00:28:28.08\00:28:31.04
"Simon, she has
been forgiven much
00:28:31.07\00:28:35.85
and she loves much more deeply
than you can ever understand."
00:28:35.88\00:28:40.04
Amen.
00:28:40.07\00:28:41.14
And He turns to
the woman and He says,
00:28:41.17\00:28:42.78
"Mary, your sins are forgiven,
00:28:42.81\00:28:46.49
your faith has
saved you, go in peace."
00:28:46.52\00:28:51.20
Amen.
00:28:51.23\00:28:53.83
The next scene in the collage...
00:28:53.86\00:28:56.60
is the face of sorrow, grief.
00:29:02.06\00:29:07.64
We have Mary again
at the feet of Jesus,
00:29:07.67\00:29:12.46
but there's wood between them.
00:29:12.49\00:29:14.56
The cross. He's dead.
00:29:14.59\00:29:18.63
John has taken
Mother Mary and gone.
00:29:18.66\00:29:20.51
And the other disciples,
well, they were hiding up
00:29:20.54\00:29:22.21
in the last place they saw
Jesus in peace, the upper room.
00:29:22.24\00:29:25.37
And the door is locked.
00:29:25.40\00:29:26.44
"Come on
fellows, get the bolts on.
00:29:26.47\00:29:27.84
We don't want
anyone to find us here.
00:29:27.87\00:29:29.29
They might kill us, too."
00:29:29.32\00:29:30.80
Everybody has left
Jesus, uh-uh, not Mary.
00:29:30.83\00:29:36.72
She is weeping at His feet
00:29:36.75\00:29:39.08
and her tears again are
running down on His feet
00:29:39.11\00:29:41.56
just like at the feast,
00:29:41.59\00:29:43.46
only this time they're
not mingled with perfume
00:29:43.49\00:29:45.52
but with the
blood from the nails
00:29:45.55\00:29:47.11
hammered through them.
00:29:47.14\00:29:49.12
But she would never leave
Him. She loved Him too much.
00:29:49.15\00:29:52.42
"They can kill me, I don't care,
00:29:52.45\00:29:54.41
I'll never leave Him."
00:29:54.44\00:29:55.89
And the Bible says, then came
00:29:55.92\00:29:57.04
Joseph of
Arimathea and Nicodemus.
00:29:57.07\00:29:59.74
And together with her
they take the body down
00:29:59.77\00:30:02.13
and she helps them and quickly
00:30:02.16\00:30:03.66
put some embalming
materials around it
00:30:03.69\00:30:05.44
and get it into the grave
00:30:05.47\00:30:06.62
because the
Sabbath is coming on.
00:30:06.65\00:30:08.39
And then she watches as
the stone is rolled across.
00:30:08.42\00:30:13.62
Sunday morning.
It's dark out there.
00:30:13.65\00:30:18.36
"Peter, Peter?" "Shh, quiet.
00:30:18.39\00:30:23.78
I'm over here.
00:30:23.81\00:30:24.93
Don't talk too loud, they
might find out we're up here.
00:30:24.96\00:30:27.54
Is that bar on the door?" "Yes."
00:30:27.57\00:30:29.85
"Well, keep it
there. Mary? Mary?"
00:30:29.88\00:30:35.41
"She's not here."
00:30:35.44\00:30:36.70
"Where is Mary?" "I don't know."
00:30:36.73\00:30:38.71
Here in the early
morning dusk all by herself,
00:30:38.74\00:30:41.86
walking down to
finish the job is Mary.
00:30:41.89\00:30:46.04
And she is saying to herself,
00:30:46.07\00:30:47.15
"I wonder who will
roll away the stone
00:30:47.18\00:30:48.85
because I'm gonna
give Him a decent burial."
00:30:48.88\00:30:53.31
They were scared, not Mary.
00:30:53.34\00:30:56.59
You know the story.
She arrives at the tomb.
00:30:56.62\00:30:58.66
Oh, the stone, it's gone.
00:30:58.69\00:31:02.23
So is the body, oh,
someone stole away His body.
00:31:02.26\00:31:05.51
And she runs
back to the disciples.
00:31:05.54\00:31:07.32
They scarcely will let her in.
00:31:07.35\00:31:09.00
She tells them.
They don't believe it.
00:31:09.03\00:31:10.78
Finally, Peter and
John, they dare it,
00:31:10.81\00:31:13.08
the Bible says and
they run to the tomb.
00:31:13.11\00:31:15.03
Sure enough, it's true.
And she races up behind them.
00:31:15.06\00:31:18.00
"Peter, Peter, how could
they've done a thing like this?
00:31:18.03\00:31:21.01
Robbing His very grave!
00:31:21.04\00:31:22.64
I mean, they gave
Him no peace in life
00:31:22.67\00:31:24.38
and they don't even
give Him any peace in death."
00:31:24.41\00:31:27.27
John looks this way and
then he puts his arm around Mary
00:31:27.30\00:31:29.30
and he says, "Mary, come,
00:31:29.33\00:31:30.37
come back with
us to the upper room
00:31:30.40\00:31:32.18
where we last saw Him in peace."
00:31:32.21\00:31:34.99
"No," she says,
"I want to be here
00:31:35.02\00:31:37.88
where I last saw
Him, right here."
00:31:37.91\00:31:40.65
And they left, they bided.
00:31:40.68\00:31:43.31
And as she
lingers there, she thinks
00:31:43.34\00:31:46.05
how horribly they have
desecrated Him even in death
00:31:46.08\00:31:48.56
and she bursts into tears again.
00:31:48.59\00:31:51.56
And she is kneeling, weeping
00:31:51.59\00:31:54.98
and she hears the
sound of feet on gravel.
00:31:55.01\00:31:58.12
And she looks through her tears
00:31:58.15\00:31:59.75
and sees the
feet, it's the gardener.
00:31:59.78\00:32:05.02
"Oh," she says, "Sir, please,
00:32:05.05\00:32:08.24
would you just tell me
where they have put him.
00:32:08.27\00:32:10.01
And I will go and I
will take Him away."
00:32:10.04\00:32:14.70
That little woman take away
00:32:14.73\00:32:16.57
the great big
carpenter of Nazareth?
00:32:16.60\00:32:18.73
How could she do it?
00:32:18.76\00:32:19.99
I don't know, but
that's what she wanted to do.
00:32:20.02\00:32:24.24
And then in the
darkness of her despair,
00:32:24.27\00:32:26.54
again a voice, "Mary."
00:32:26.57\00:32:31.97
The voice, the voice
that had brought life
00:32:34.58\00:32:37.06
to her once before.
00:32:37.09\00:32:38.93
She looks up, it is, it's Jesus.
00:32:38.96\00:32:41.38
Resurrected and real,
He's not dead, He's alive.
00:32:41.41\00:32:44.39
"Oh, He's gonna
never get away from me now"
00:32:44.42\00:32:46.36
And she grabs Him
and holds on to His legs.
00:32:46.39\00:32:48.14
"I'm never gonna let you go."
00:32:48.17\00:32:50.12
And Jesus says, "Mary, you must.
00:32:50.15\00:32:53.64
I've got to go
back to My Father.
00:32:53.67\00:32:55.40
So don't detain Me.
00:32:55.43\00:32:57.10
But you, Mary, you
go back and tell those
00:32:57.13\00:32:59.83
chicken livered disciples
of mine that I'm alive.
00:32:59.86\00:33:02.77
And tell that
I'm gonna meet them
00:33:02.80\00:33:03.97
where I promised to
meet them in Galilee."
00:33:04.00\00:33:06.86
Beloved, listen, Mary
became the first person
00:33:06.89\00:33:11.34
to see the resurrected Jesus.
00:33:11.37\00:33:12.92
Amen.
00:33:12.95\00:33:13.98
She became the first person
00:33:14.01\00:33:15.27
ever to preach the
gospel story of a risen Savior.
00:33:15.30\00:33:17.91
Amen.
00:33:17.94\00:33:18.97
Her tears of grief
became tears of joy.
00:33:19.00\00:33:23.29
From the depths
of sin she had gone
00:33:23.32\00:33:25.19
to the depths of despair.
00:33:25.22\00:33:27.65
Only the depths of understanding
00:33:27.68\00:33:29.70
love of Jesus
could possibly meet that.
00:33:29.73\00:33:32.62
And He did and He turned
it into the depths of love.
00:33:32.65\00:33:39.30
You know, Jesus
had told His disciples,
00:33:39.33\00:33:41.72
"The least among you,
he shall be the greatest.
00:33:41.75\00:33:46.26
He that is
last, shall be first."
00:33:46.29\00:33:51.07
Dear friends, Mary
had a depth of love
00:33:51.10\00:33:53.52
that you'll find
in no other follower
00:33:53.55\00:33:55.29
of Jesus Christ
in all of the Bible.
00:33:55.32\00:33:57.15
None.
00:33:57.18\00:33:58.34
There is none that
can compare with her.
00:33:58.37\00:34:00.99
And the Bible teaches clearly
00:34:01.02\00:34:02.34
that those who love God the most
00:34:02.37\00:34:05.16
will be nearest to
Him in the kingdom.
00:34:05.19\00:34:08.28
And I cannot help but wonder
00:34:08.31\00:34:10.71
what her position
will be in Heaven.
00:34:10.74\00:34:14.26
Could I suggest the possibility?
00:34:14.29\00:34:16.61
Who will be there
on His right hand?
00:34:16.64\00:34:19.30
Peter? Brave man, Peter.
00:34:19.33\00:34:23.95
I doubt it.
00:34:23.98\00:34:25.82
Well, how about
loving John? Maybe.
00:34:25.85\00:34:32.07
When I get there, I
won't at all be surprised
00:34:32.10\00:34:34.50
to look and see the former
mental patient from Magdala
00:34:34.53\00:34:38.68
who made her
living by prostitution.
00:34:38.71\00:34:42.16
She will stand
by His side forever
00:34:42.19\00:34:45.84
as a symbol of Christ's
church and how He redeemed it
00:34:45.87\00:34:48.97
from the depths of despair
00:34:49.00\00:34:50.56
into the highest
holy places of eternity.
00:34:50.59\00:34:52.49
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:34:52.52\00:34:54.75
This then is the collage.
00:34:54.78\00:34:59.67
In Mary we see the glorious
collage masterpiece of Jesus,
00:34:59.70\00:35:03.70
the Master Artist.
00:35:03.73\00:35:06.69
But, you know, Jesus knows
00:35:06.72\00:35:07.85
the circumstances of every soul.
00:35:07.88\00:35:10.13
Amen.
00:35:10.16\00:35:11.42
You may be there
watching today or listening.
00:35:11.45\00:35:14.95
You may be saying to
yourself, "I'm sinful."
00:35:14.98\00:35:20.75
I just passed April 15
00:35:20.78\00:35:22.10
and I got to admit,
I'm really dishonest.
00:35:22.13\00:35:25.21
I'm a thief, I hate somebody,
00:35:25.24\00:35:28.38
so I'm a murderer, I'm a liar.
00:35:28.41\00:35:31.27
Or maybe you're sitting
down there and you're saying,
00:35:31.30\00:35:33.25
"You know, if people just knew,
00:35:33.28\00:35:34.62
I'm pregnant, too,
at 15, just like Mary."
00:35:34.65\00:35:39.03
You may be, but friend,
the greater your mistake,
00:35:39.06\00:35:43.85
the more you need Jesus.
00:35:43.88\00:35:45.32
Amen.
00:35:45.35\00:35:46.51
He won't turn you away,
00:35:46.54\00:35:48.20
He won't tell on you,
He won't disappoint you.
00:35:48.23\00:35:51.03
Amen.
00:35:51.06\00:35:52.12
He'll forgive. Amen.
00:35:52.15\00:35:55.44
Jesus, the master collage
artist is here right now.
00:35:55.47\00:36:03.14
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:36:03.17\00:36:04.72
Amen.
00:36:04.75\00:36:06.38
He's walking
this building today.
00:36:06.41\00:36:10.06
The Master artist at this moment
00:36:10.09\00:36:12.18
is ready to make a
masterpiece out of you.
00:36:12.21\00:36:15.75
Walking in this discussion
from the Book of John,
00:36:15.78\00:36:18.89
the highways and byways
of your minds and your heart,
00:36:18.92\00:36:22.11
searching for
those odd bits and scraps
00:36:22.14\00:36:24.26
that maybe you've
been hiding under the rug
00:36:24.29\00:36:26.57
and keeping in
the closet for years.
00:36:26.60\00:36:29.50
Friend, He wants to take these,
00:36:29.53\00:36:31.48
He wants those things, He
wants to put them together
00:36:31.51\00:36:33.75
until He has
fashioned out of you
00:36:33.78\00:36:35.53
a beautiful
masterpiece of Himself,
00:36:35.56\00:36:38.62
just like He did with Mary.
00:36:38.65\00:36:40.08
Amen.
00:36:40.11\00:36:41.80
I want you to be
honest for a moment
00:36:41.83\00:36:43.03
about the big
issues we've been looking
00:36:43.06\00:36:44.90
at from night to
night here in the meetings
00:36:44.93\00:36:46.52
and if you folks haven't
been here, ask yourself, why?
00:36:46.55\00:36:50.44
But I want you to come face
to face with yourself right now
00:36:50.47\00:36:53.51
and with God and I want
you to ask the question,
00:36:53.54\00:36:58.34
"What am I hiding?"
00:36:58.37\00:37:01.52
Come on, what
have you been doing
00:37:01.55\00:37:04.07
that you don't
tell other people?
00:37:04.10\00:37:05.92
But you know it's
hidden down there,
00:37:05.95\00:37:07.91
way down in the
unconscious recesses
00:37:07.94\00:37:10.27
of the closet of your mind.
00:37:10.30\00:37:11.64
Come on, what's down there?
00:37:11.67\00:37:14.75
Be honest.
00:37:14.78\00:37:16.18
Oh, but you say that,
00:37:16.21\00:37:18.00
"I don't like to see
it, it depresses me."
00:37:18.03\00:37:20.72
Uh-huh, me too.
00:37:20.75\00:37:25.23
But I would like you
today to open the closet,
00:37:25.26\00:37:28.69
pick up the rug,
let's get it out.
00:37:28.72\00:37:30.97
The master collage artist
is gonna take those little bits
00:37:31.00\00:37:34.07
and scraps of nothingness
00:37:34.10\00:37:35.78
and He's going to put them
together into a great life.
00:37:35.81\00:37:40.67
Take the scraps,
let Him take them.
00:37:40.70\00:37:44.28
Decide to let Him make
something great out of you.
00:37:44.31\00:37:49.14
Listen to the
words of this song.
00:37:49.17\00:37:51.18
There is a Savior
00:37:54.30\00:38:00.85
What joys expressed
00:38:00.88\00:38:06.01
His eyes are mercy
00:38:06.04\00:38:11.67
His word is rest
00:38:11.70\00:38:16.74
For each tomorrow
00:38:16.77\00:38:22.89
For yesterday
00:38:22.92\00:38:28.13
There is a Savior
00:38:28.16\00:38:33.96
Who lights our way
00:38:33.99\00:38:40.66
Are there burdens in your heart?
00:38:40.69\00:38:44.50
Is your past a
memory that binds you?
00:38:44.53\00:38:52.30
Is there some pain
00:38:52.33\00:38:55.29
That you've
carried far too long?
00:38:55.32\00:39:02.76
Then strengthen your
heart with His good news
00:39:02.79\00:39:10.76
There is a Savior
00:39:12.07\00:39:18.12
And He's forgiven you
00:39:18.15\00:39:24.78
Would you bow your heads
00:39:24.81\00:39:25.84
and pray with me
before Joey continues.
00:39:25.87\00:39:27.89
Master Artist,
Jesus, our savior,
00:39:27.92\00:39:33.46
thank you for working in us
00:39:33.49\00:39:34.72
your marvelous
miracle of transforming love
00:39:34.75\00:39:38.66
which can change every
last one of us from crude,
00:39:38.69\00:39:43.07
bumbling creatures
into sense of light, glory.
00:39:43.10\00:39:48.50
Lord, thanks for
taking the rap for us
00:39:48.53\00:39:50.61
to save us from
embarrassment and exposure
00:39:50.64\00:39:55.23
of every single
one of our secret sins.
00:39:55.26\00:39:58.54
And thanks, too, for
continuing to search out
00:39:58.57\00:40:00.63
for individuals just like us
00:40:00.66\00:40:03.05
buried in the
scrap heap of life.
00:40:03.08\00:40:07.07
Now, Lord, this
is a solemn moment
00:40:07.10\00:40:08.58
from many here
today who are listening.
00:40:08.61\00:40:11.93
Life and death, rest
in the balances right now.
00:40:11.96\00:40:18.63
Can I ask the
row captains to pass
00:40:18.66\00:40:20.26
those response
cards down the aisle
00:40:20.29\00:40:22.51
so you can have
one in your hand.
00:40:22.54\00:40:23.77
Please, take one,
everyone today, every person.
00:40:23.80\00:40:27.59
But with every head
bowed I wonder who is willing
00:40:27.62\00:40:30.54
as they've heard
the words of God.
00:40:30.57\00:40:33.69
With an invitation today
and pointing out your duty
00:40:33.72\00:40:36.63
and you've been studying with us
00:40:36.66\00:40:37.91
about God's
wonderful, wonderful plan.
00:40:37.94\00:40:41.34
You've been considering
its, its great importance.
00:40:41.37\00:40:45.56
How many feel today
that the time has come
00:40:45.59\00:40:47.59
for you to step out
and fully and completely
00:40:47.62\00:40:49.89
accept Jesus Christ
as your personal savior?
00:40:49.92\00:40:53.97
To give your whole life to Him.
00:40:54.00\00:40:57.94
I'd like to make an invitation
00:40:57.97\00:40:59.27
this morning,
it's a little different
00:40:59.30\00:41:00.46
from what we've
done from night to night.
00:41:00.49\00:41:01.90
I would like to
invite you to bring that card
00:41:01.93\00:41:03.58
and get up to your
feet, stand right now,
00:41:03.61\00:41:06.01
come down to the front,
we'd love to pray with you,
00:41:06.04\00:41:09.32
I want to pray with you.
00:41:09.35\00:41:11.08
Wherever you are, Jesus
never missed an opportunity
00:41:11.11\00:41:13.68
to invite people to
take a stand for Him.
00:41:13.71\00:41:16.95
I'm gonna invite
our row captains,
00:41:16.98\00:41:18.10
I'm gonna invite our pastors
00:41:18.13\00:41:19.17
and our
counselors, our Bible workers
00:41:19.20\00:41:21.22
to come on down
to the front here.
00:41:21.25\00:41:22.84
I'm inviting you to
take a stand for Jesus.
00:41:22.87\00:41:25.56
And I want to do this,
right now, this morning.
00:41:25.59\00:41:32.16
Wherever you are in
your downlink location,
00:41:32.19\00:41:33.85
if you're a young person
that's sitting with us today,
00:41:33.88\00:41:36.68
maybe you're an individual
00:41:36.71\00:41:37.79
who has already
made your decision,
00:41:37.82\00:41:39.25
you've written it on that card,
00:41:39.28\00:41:40.71
I want you to just come down
00:41:40.74\00:41:42.06
'cause we want to pray with you.
00:41:42.09\00:41:44.13
Maybe you're a
member of an another church
00:41:44.16\00:41:45.66
but you want to
recommit your life to Jesus
00:41:45.69\00:41:48.20
and begin to follow
maybe some new light
00:41:48.23\00:41:50.01
that you've understood.
00:41:50.04\00:41:51.71
Is there someone here
00:41:51.74\00:41:52.78
who perhaps has lost
their fellowship with Jesus
00:41:52.81\00:41:55.51
who used to be a
member of a church,
00:41:55.54\00:41:57.27
perhaps even baptized
00:41:57.30\00:41:58.47
but you'd like
to return to Jesus
00:41:58.50\00:42:00.65
or just stand up
and be an encouragement
00:42:00.68\00:42:02.61
to someone else by coming down,
00:42:02.64\00:42:04.38
giving your life to
Jesus Christ all brand new.
00:42:04.41\00:42:07.35
Come right now while Joey sings.
00:42:07.38\00:42:09.96
There is a Savior
00:42:15.20\00:42:21.86
What joys expressed
00:42:21.89\00:42:26.70
His eyes are mercy
00:42:26.73\00:42:32.17
His word is rest
00:42:32.20\00:42:36.93
For each tomorrow
00:42:36.96\00:42:43.15
For yesterday
00:42:43.18\00:42:48.24
There is a Savior
00:42:48.27\00:42:54.22
Who lights our way
00:42:54.25\00:43:00.10
There is a Savior
00:43:00.13\00:43:06.25
Who lights our way
00:43:06.28\00:43:14.25
Let's continue in that prayer.
00:43:14.28\00:43:15.91
Heavenly Father,
here we are, Your church,
00:43:15.94\00:43:21.93
brothers and sisters
at the foot of the cross.
00:43:21.96\00:43:26.11
Lord, we know that Your Spirit
00:43:26.14\00:43:28.39
has been sensitively
playing on our hearts
00:43:28.42\00:43:30.37
from night to night here.
00:43:30.40\00:43:31.43
But this morning in particular
00:43:31.46\00:43:33.54
as we look at the story of Mary.
00:43:33.57\00:43:36.50
Your marvelous
miracle of transforming love.
00:43:36.53\00:43:39.89
Lord that can change
every last one of us.
00:43:39.92\00:43:44.20
And so we want to thank You
00:43:44.23\00:43:46.48
and thank You for
taking that rap for us
00:43:46.51\00:43:48.26
to save us from our sins.
00:43:48.29\00:43:51.64
I want you to take
your response card.
00:43:51.67\00:43:55.01
There are several
options for us this morning.
00:43:55.04\00:43:58.73
You'll have a chance
to slip back to your seat,
00:43:58.76\00:44:01.22
but right now notice number one,
00:44:01.25\00:44:05.03
if you'd like to check I
want to consecrate my heart,
00:44:05.06\00:44:08.03
my mind, my
affections to Jesus today.
00:44:08.06\00:44:12.15
I see many young people
00:44:12.18\00:44:13.28
are sitting out in
these rows right here.
00:44:13.31\00:44:15.53
That's one I'd
like to have you check.
00:44:15.56\00:44:18.29
I want to check and
consecrate my heart,
00:44:18.32\00:44:21.26
my mind, my affections to Jesus.
00:44:21.29\00:44:24.27
Number two, there
may be individuals
00:44:24.30\00:44:25.80
who like to
check the second one.
00:44:25.83\00:44:27.04
We're gonna be talking about
that when later in this series.
00:44:27.07\00:44:30.06
I'd like to baptized soon.
00:44:30.09\00:44:33.46
We'd be happy to
have you check that.
00:44:33.49\00:44:34.76
Many of you have already.
00:44:34.79\00:44:36.96
Number three, I want to
renew my fellowship with Jesus
00:44:36.99\00:44:41.76
and I wish to be re-baptized.
00:44:41.79\00:44:43.84
We will be
talking about that, too,
00:44:43.87\00:44:45.07
but someone might like to
indicate that this morning.
00:44:45.10\00:44:48.49
And number four, since
I've already been baptized,
00:44:48.52\00:44:52.15
I'm a baptized,
born again Christian,
00:44:52.18\00:44:53.95
I just want to join the
church by profession of faith.
00:44:53.98\00:44:58.21
We can arrange
that with you, too,
00:44:58.24\00:44:59.82
you check that if that's
your desire this morning.
00:44:59.85\00:45:03.72
Father in heaven, what
a privilege to be here.
00:45:03.75\00:45:07.07
And if there's some person yet
who's not stood to their feet.
00:45:07.10\00:45:10.96
Maybe it's
difficult whether seated
00:45:10.99\00:45:12.48
or in the downlink location
00:45:12.51\00:45:14.11
it's not easy to
slip out into the aisle.
00:45:14.14\00:45:17.51
I invite them to stand
right where they are just now
00:45:17.54\00:45:20.25
and be included in this prayer
00:45:20.28\00:45:21.57
that their life
is being committed
00:45:21.60\00:45:23.37
to Jesus Christ
fully and completely.
00:45:23.40\00:45:26.01
Friend, wherever you're located,
00:45:26.04\00:45:27.82
would you stand,
if you can move down
00:45:27.85\00:45:29.49
toward the
screen wherever you are.
00:45:29.52\00:45:31.92
Please, join us down here,
00:45:31.95\00:45:33.27
some of the counselors
will be sure to meet you.
00:45:33.30\00:45:36.21
Thank you for standing.
00:45:36.24\00:45:37.64
And the
audience, many around here.
00:45:37.67\00:45:40.72
If there are
someone who'd like to say
00:45:40.75\00:45:41.79
as we close this prayer.
00:45:41.82\00:45:42.89
Lord, I've sensed
Your still small voice
00:45:42.92\00:45:45.33
and I want to be
able to make a decision
00:45:45.36\00:45:46.97
somehow, someway,
I got some things,
00:45:47.00\00:45:49.79
some issues in my life,
00:45:49.82\00:45:50.88
but I want to be
included in this prayer.
00:45:50.91\00:45:53.37
Would you just
raise your hand to heaven
00:45:53.40\00:45:54.93
with your eyes closed
and God will see your hand
00:45:54.96\00:45:57.19
and His angels
record that response
00:45:57.22\00:45:59.11
and they will be there
through the Holy Spirit
00:45:59.14\00:46:01.37
to guide and to
direct you and to help you.
00:46:01.40\00:46:03.38
God bless each sincere hand.
00:46:03.41\00:46:07.45
And now as Jesus said to
Mary, He says to us today.
00:46:07.48\00:46:13.93
Your sins are forgiven.
00:46:13.96\00:46:17.44
Your faith has saved
you, go, go in peace.
00:46:17.47\00:46:24.43
Amen.
00:46:24.46\00:46:26.42
Remember our subject
tonight, making a new start.
00:46:26.45\00:46:31.81
Don't miss that.
00:46:31.84\00:46:33.34
Remember as we leave, we
end our broadcast every day.
00:46:33.37\00:46:37.87
Friend, God loves you.
00:46:37.90\00:46:39.82
We'll see you
tonight. God bless you.
00:46:39.85\00:46:41.96