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<DIV><FONT size=4>Whatever they need, there will be enough to go around.
Whatever they spend, there will be plenty left over. There is no reason to
fear running out--of nard or of life either one--for where God is concerned,
there is always more than we can ask or imagine--gifts from our lavish, lavish
Lord.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><A
href="http://day1.org/1760-the_prophet_mary">http://day1.org/1760-the_prophet_mary</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Barbara Brown Taylor</FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>I personally remember sitting at my own father's feet in his
hospital room before he died, seeking to convey something I did not know how to
speak.</FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><A
href="http://rockhay.tripod.com/sermons/texts/NT/gospels/john_12_01-08.htm">http://rockhay.tripod.com/sermons/texts/NT/gospels/john_12_01-08.htm</A></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Peter L. Haynes, 2001</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4>
<DIV align=left>In the year 1239, King Louis IX of France bought from the
Emperor of</DIV>
<DIV align=left>Constantinople the most precious relic of Christianity: the
Crown of Thorns</DIV>
<DIV align=left>which rested on Jesus’ head. Leaving aside our present-day
skepticism about</DIV>
<DIV align=left>authenticity, it was a lavish gift for the French nation, and to
house this relic,</DIV>
<DIV align=left>he built in Paris a church of surpassing beauty which we know as
the Ste.</DIV>
<DIV align=left>Chapelle. It stands today as a monument to faith and an enduring
uplifting of</DIV>
<DIV>the human spirit. If you have not seen it, go see it and be
amazed.</DIV></FONT></FONT></FONT>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.stthomasmedina.org/Sermons/2006-07/sermon20070325.pdf">http://www.stthomasmedina.org/Sermons/2006-07/sermon20070325.pdf</A></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Robert Hayman, 2007</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>...three hundred denarii were close to one year’s wages for a
labourer at that time. Thus Mary’s gift was extravagant alright. Moreover, maybe
the perfume was to be saved for the burial anointing of their family members. At
any rate, this complaint of Judas is a classic one. Some folks look at life only
from a monetary perspective, which blinds them to the proper place for
extravagant giving motivated by love. Albert Schweitzer said it well: “If there
is something you own that you can’t give away, then you don’t own it, it owns
you.” </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://dimlamp.wordpress.com/2007/03/22/sermon-5-lent-yr-c/"><FONT
size=4>http://dimlamp.wordpress.com/2007/03/22/sermon-5-lent-yr-c/</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson, 2007</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>I like the Christmas poem, “What can I give him, poor as I am.
If I were a shepherd, I would give him a lamb. If I were a wise man, I would do
my part. What shall I give him? I will give him my heart.” … </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><FONT size=4>...can our lives be so deeply touched by the
living Christ that we want to respond in some special way?</FONT> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_c_expensiveoilforhisfeet.htm"><FONT
size=4>http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_c_expensiveoilforhisfeet.htm</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Edward F. Markquart</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>There are two critical principles at work here.
Principles that can help us through those times when someone we thought cared
turned away from us.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4><STRONG>1. Focus on those who are true
friends.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=3><FONT size=4>Jesus did not allow the deception of
Judas to diminish the quality of his relationship with those who were true
friends. Hard to do, but essential. Don't focus on what's gone, but on what's
left. There is still the evening with Lazarus, Mary and Martha.</FONT>
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=3><FONT size=4>If you are anything like me, it is
easy to let negative things drain your energy. Jesus does the opposite. The
negative is devalued and the positive is revalued. It's the old quip,
</FONT><EM><FONT size=4>"Is the glass half empty or half full?"</FONT>
</EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4><STRONG>2. Do not engage the Deceiver on his
turf.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=3><FONT size=4>Keep distance from the temptation to
"fight it out" with the person who has turned away. Judas already had an agenda.
His heart had turned away from Jesus... the justification had already been done
and his mind was made up. He did not come to Jesus with questions or
difficulties he had.</FONT> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>Jesus does not waste his time in debate, argument
or even venting his anger. He would only drain his own time and energy. Save it!
Save it for the good things of your life. Life is way too short to spend it on
the deceiver's agenda.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.lectionarysermons.com/zun5l.html">http://www.lectionarysermons.com/zun5l.html</A></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>John Jewell,<SPAN lang=en-us> 1998</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><SPAN lang=en-us>- - - - -</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
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