The Sunday Afternoon Post by Assistant Pastor Ted Stahl

Sunday Morning’s Message – The Safest Place on Earth

Sunday Evening’s Message – Where Did They Go?

Today’s Passages – Mark 14; Proverbs 23

(Second Milers also read – Psalms 111 – 115; Memorize – Psalm 126:5 & 6)

This is a repeat of Pastor’s Stahl’s blog post from last year on Mark 14.

Good morning. How in the world are you? I have two thoughts that may be a help to you today.  In today’s reading we find the story of the woman with the alabaster box of spikenard: a very expensive ointment (verses 3-11). This passage caused me to ask the question, “Have I ever been angry at God?”

How about you? When things don’t go your way, or the way you perceive they should go, do you blame God? Many people do. Cain was angry with God because He would not accept his offering. During the great tribulation, the seven years, rather than repent, many will turn and shake their fists at God. Here in this passage we have Judas. John chapter 12 gives us a little glimpse into where his heart was at…

“Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, 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 the bag, and bare what was put therein.” (John 12:4-6)

So Judas was angry with God (Mark 14:4-5). What happens next? Judas goes to the chief priests to betray Jesus (Mark 14:10-11). God’s Word tells us to be angry, and sin not (Eph. 4:26). Sin has a price. Judas was told by Jesus what the price would be in verse 21 of Mark 14…

“The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.”

And you know the rest of the story: Judas betrayed Jesus anyway, and ended up hanging himself. The Bible tells us that Judas went to his own place. Is that the hottest part of Hell? I don’t know, but it all started with being angry at God. We all need to ask ourselves that question: “Am I angry at God?”

Remember: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17)

That leads me to my second thought…

I received this e-mail the other day. It simply said…

Bob Roszak passed away yesterday on the 21 of October.

He was having problems with his heart…

George

I wish I could provide a link to what everyone was saying about this man. He was a fixture in the Buskey home for a long time. We all have an appointed time. Bob’s time had come. And here is the connection…

God had given this alabaster box of priceless ointment for us to hold onto for a while. The time had arrived to give it back: to poor it out and anoint the Saviour’s head and feet. Because of God’s grace, because of Jesus coming and dying on the cross and shedding His precious blood to pay for Bob’s sins, he is in Heaven today. One day you will see him again if you’re saved. God’s Word tells us that we are all sinners (Romans 3:10,23), and that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23). The Bible makes it simple,

1John 5:12-13 says, “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

All you need do to receive Jesus for your own is to call on his name. Romans 10:3 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

You can’t get to Heaven on your own. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

To God, love is an action word. Love was an action word to Bob also. Because of God’s action in John 3:16, Bob has a home in Heaven…

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Peace (John 14:27)


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