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<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px; COLOR: #ffffff"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, Times, serif"><strong>Lent 5</strong></span></div>
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<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><strong>Sermons for Lent 5</strong></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>John 12:1-11</span><span>- <strong>"It's OK to Be Extravagant" </strong></span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>John 12:1-11 - <strong>"Be a Bethany"</strong> by Leonard Sweet</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<span><span>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>John 12:1-11<font size="4"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">,</font></font> the sermon title "It's Ok to Be Extravagant"<font size="4"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"> <br>
</font></font></span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>A few years ago
there was a true story about a man in New York City who was kidnapped.
His kidnappers called his wife and asked for $100,000 ransom. She talked
them down to $30,000.</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>The story had a
happy ending: the man returned home unharmed, the money was recovered,
and the kidnappers were caught and sent to jail. But, don't you wonder
what happened when the man got home and found that his wife got him back
for a discount? Calvin Trillin was the writer of this story. He
imagined out loud what the negotiations must have been like: "$100,000
for that old guy? You have got to be crazy. Just look at him! Look at
that gut! You want $100,000 for that? You've got to be kidding. Give me a
break here. $30,000 is my top offer."</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Mark Trotter
concluded his rendition of the story with this thoughtful comment: "I
suppose there are some here this morning who can identify with the wife
in that story, but for some reason I find myself identifying with the
husband. I'd like to think if I were in a similar situation, there would
be people who would spare no expense to get me back. They wouldn't
haggle over the price. They wouldn't say, 'Well, let me think about it.'
I like to think that they would say, 'We'll do anything for you.'"</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>The point of that
story is this: sometimes it's O.K. to be extravagant! Now, that is
precisely what this story in the Gospel is all about. Remember the story
with me...</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>The rest of this sermon can be obtained by joining <a shape="rect" target="_blank" __removedlink__1073520000__href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001AyC8kW6H9g57V8WFqZpy5k5vEeb_txcYF4jYuJSEQag14xuefuiYk9fNMKUuKMjsuVokHkNx7ST5O43664bzR9_eXvVl7XJvZQ0qEtw9K4VWtUas7E9tXKE8CEZTghpF"><span>http://www.sermons.com/signup</span></a></span><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>___________________________</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>John 12<font size="4"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">,</font></font> the sermon titled "<span>Be a Bethany</span>" by Leonard Swee<font size="4"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">t </font></font> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>We never truly
appreciate "home-grown," or "home-style"," "home-spun" or "down home"
until "home" is in our rear view mirror. For college students, Mom's
meatloaf suddenly take on a whole new luster after a semester of college
cafeteria food. A burger from McDonald's, a Pizza Hut pie, or some KFC,
tastes like heaven after an extended tour of duty in Afghanistan. It is
the simple tastes, the simple things, the most simple and most familiar
people, that make a particular place on this planet "home."</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>According to the
gospels, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, spent a few years in Egypt, then
relocated to Nazareth. Once Jesus began preaching and teaching he was
constantly on the road. His very own "home-town" threatened to throw him
off a cliff for his words of wisdom. Not surprisingly, Jesus stayed
away from Nazareth and spent time in other regions - Capernaeum,
Samaria, Jerusalem, the outer regions of Galilee. While "foxes had their
dens," Jesus really had no place to rest his head, no "home land." </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Except. Jesus had
one special place he liked to go when he wanted the companionship of
friends and the absence of crowds. When Jesus wanted to be alone to pray
and communicate with the Father he sought out the wilderness. When
Jesus felt the need to be among his closest friends and earthly
companions, he traveled to Bethany. Frank Viola calls Bethany "Jesus'
favorite place on Earth." </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>A scant two miles
outside of Jerusalem, Bethany was still far enough away to be "far
enough away." Jesus' best friends - Lazarus, Martha, Mary - kept their
home open for him and for his disciples, always welcoming, always open
armed. Bethany was not where Jesus went to preach or preside. Bethany
was where Jesus went to hang out with his "buddies"...</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>The rest of this sermon can be obtained by joining <a shape="rect" target="_blank" __removedlink__1073520000__href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001AyC8kW6H9g57V8WFqZpy5k5vEeb_txcYF4jYuJSEQag14xuefuiYk9fNMKUuKMjsuVokHkNx7ST5O43664bzR9_eXvVl7XJvZQ0qEtw9K4VWtUas7E9tXKE8CEZTghpF"><span>http://www.sermons.com/signup</span></a></span><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>______________________________</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Intentional Acts of True Devotion</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>IATDs - that's what
this passage is all about. People were becoming more and more devoted
to Jesus and they were expressing it openly in ever increasing ways.
They even started doing IATDs - Intentional Acts of True Devotion.<br>
<br>
Jesus
called Lazarus out of the grave and he came out struggling in the
bondage of his grave clothing. But he came out, he had new life! Jesus
had power even over death! The result was IATDs! People started
following Jesus. Not only did they start following him, they become
devoted to him, and their devotion was radical! Those who saw this
resurrection put their faith in Jesus. The sense of the Greek in verse
45 is that people without reservation, without growing into it, at this
one miracle put all their faith in him.<br>
<br>
And it showed in IATDs.
At one time the Jews had been devoted to the Pharisees and the law. Now
in wholesale crowds they were turning to Jesus, becoming devoted to him,
radically devoted to him with the kind of devotion that is dangerous:<br>
<br>
"He'll
upset the applecart! We can't have that around here! We'll lose our
place and our power!" That was the thinking of the Pharisees, so they
plotted to take Jesus life. We often think it was Jesus who got himself
in trouble with the Pharisees, but the Pharisees wouldn't have cared a
bit if he didn't have these followers with their IATDs. Their IATDs got
him in trouble, too.<br>
<br>
Intentional Acts of True Devotion - they're
powerful, they're dangerous, and they mark the lives of those who put
their faith in Jesus. </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Bill Versteeg, Intentional Acts of True Devotion</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>______________________<br>
<br>
</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Gratitude</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Pastor Victor
Shepherd tells the story of a missionary surgeon he met who was rather
gruff and to the point. On one occasion the surgeon was speaking to a
small group of university students about his work in the Gaza Strip. He
was telling us that we North American "fat cats" knew nothing about
gratitude. Nothing! On one occasion he had stopped a peasant hovel to
see a woman on whom he had performed surgery. She and her husband were
dirt poor. Their livestock supply consisted of one Angora rabbit and two
chickens. For income the woman combed the hair out of the rabbit, spun
the hair into yarn and sold it. For food she and her husband ate the
eggs from the chickens. The woman insisted that the missionary surgeon
stay for lunch. He accepted the invitation and said he would be back for
lunch after he had gone down the road to see another postoperative
patient. An hour and a half later he was back. He peeked into the
cooking pot to see what he was going to eat. He saw one rabbit and two
chickens. The woman had given up her entire livestock supply--her
income, her food, everything. He concluded his story by reminding us
that we knew nothing of gratitude. He wept unashamedly. The incident
will stay with me forever.</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>There is another
incident concerning gratitude that will never be forgotten. It's about a
woman who poured costly perfume over our Lord as she wiped his feet
with her hair. Make no mistake--the perfume was expensive, three hundred
denarii, a year's income for a laborer in Palestine. </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Enough to keep a family alive for twelve months.</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Victor Shepherd, Preacher's Annual 1992, Nashville: Abingdon p. 122.</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>____________________</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
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