WEBVTT 0 00:00:04.890 --> 00:00:07.354 Welcome to the Willow Ridge Sermons podcast. 1 00:00:07.482 --> 00:00:11.150 This is where you can find audio from Sunday morning, messages and more. 2 00:00:11.300 --> 00:00:14.442 Make sure you're subscribed so that you don't miss future episodes. 3 00:00:14.506 --> 00:00:16.030 And thanks for listening. 4 00:00:21.570 --> 00:00:22.560 Thank you. 5 00:00:23.890 --> 00:00:24.800 Thank you. 6 00:00:25.450 --> 00:00:28.040 Thank you. 7 00:00:28.650 --> 00:00:41.980 What a privilege to be here this morning amongst all of you and to hear what God is doing in this part of the world, through this church and through this great pastor that you all have. 8 00:00:43.870 --> 00:00:46.300 It's all about the Lord, not about us. 9 00:00:46.670 --> 00:00:58.000 And how he uses us insignificant people for his glory and what a privilege it is for us to be involved in what he puts us. 10 00:00:58.770 --> 00:01:08.050 I'm so thankful to be around these great servants who are serving the Lord in different parts of this country and beyond. 11 00:01:10.310 --> 00:01:25.320 And what a moment for us, me and my wife Susan, to be here in this particular time of the year when this church is celebrating its missions just gives me a little taste of what heaven is going to be like. 12 00:01:26.010 --> 00:01:38.300 From all tribe tongues, nations, people gathering together around the throne of this great and awesome and mighty God, worshipping him, singing praises to him. 13 00:01:39.150 --> 00:01:40.960 What a day it's going to be like. 14 00:01:41.650 --> 00:01:43.440 We are so thankful for that. 15 00:01:44.770 --> 00:01:51.200 And we have thoroughly enjoyed the sweet fellowship of God's people over here. 16 00:01:51.650 --> 00:02:08.280 Some great people that came to our lives when this church sent a few folks in our part of the world in India, and what moments we've enjoyed together, serving together in that great, great and needy land. 17 00:02:09.210 --> 00:02:19.980 And I'm praying and I'm hoping that this relationship is going to grow intense and stronger in the years and times to come if he tarries and if he gives us life. 18 00:02:21.070 --> 00:02:32.750 One of the things that I learned from my father growing up was his expression of how he puts homolytics. 19 00:02:33.170 --> 00:02:38.590 He said, sam, whenever you stand up to preach, remember these five S's. 20 00:02:39.490 --> 00:02:42.000 And that's what I'm going to do this morning. 21 00:02:44.070 --> 00:02:45.374 The four S's. 22 00:02:45.502 --> 00:02:46.530 Stand up. 23 00:02:46.680 --> 00:02:47.746 Speak up. 24 00:02:47.928 --> 00:02:49.460 Shut up and sit down. 25 00:02:52.310 --> 00:03:01.218 I so vividly remember another tip that he gave me, the five B's, rather, five B's. 26 00:03:01.394 --> 00:03:02.754 Be brief, brother. 27 00:03:02.802 --> 00:03:03.830 Be brief. 28 00:03:05.690 --> 00:03:10.134 And that's what I'm going to try and do this morning, being brief. 29 00:03:10.182 --> 00:03:21.920 And I'm trying to share with you what God has laid in my heart for this church and also how he is going to talk to all of us through what he has given me. 30 00:03:22.450 --> 00:03:28.622 I come from a country which is now the most populous country in the world. 31 00:03:28.676 --> 00:03:36.722 It has overtaken China with 1.4 billion people living in our part of the world. 32 00:03:36.776 --> 00:03:42.754 In India, overtaken China, which now has about 1.3 billion people. 33 00:03:42.792 --> 00:03:44.146 There's a lot of people over there. 34 00:03:44.248 --> 00:03:48.520 And all those of you who've been to India, you know what I'm talking about when I come over here. 35 00:03:49.130 --> 00:03:50.770 We drove through Atlanta. 36 00:03:50.850 --> 00:03:53.158 Sure enough, there are a bunch of cars over there. 37 00:03:53.324 --> 00:03:54.866 And they say it's also crowd. 38 00:03:54.898 --> 00:03:56.870 And I'm looking at where is the crowd? 39 00:04:02.510 --> 00:04:09.690 Not a single car is unscratched in India because everybody takes up that little bit of. 40 00:04:09.760 --> 00:04:13.870 Little bit of inch that is available over here. 41 00:04:13.940 --> 00:04:21.120 The difference is you respect other people's spaces, and that's a good thing. 42 00:04:22.050 --> 00:04:25.330 The first time I was here, I was driving on the road. 43 00:04:25.400 --> 00:04:30.082 In fact, I was being driven along, and I'm sitting over there and there's nobody coming in. 44 00:04:30.136 --> 00:04:33.730 The driver stops, looks and goes. 45 00:04:33.880 --> 00:04:35.006 And he does the same thing. 46 00:04:35.048 --> 00:04:37.030 After a while, it was so irritating. 47 00:04:38.730 --> 00:04:43.400 And so I had to ask him, I said, why do you stop? 48 00:04:44.810 --> 00:04:47.990 He looks up at me and he says, you see that sign? 49 00:04:48.060 --> 00:04:48.680 Stop? 50 00:04:50.490 --> 00:04:53.100 I said, yeah, but there's nobody coming. 51 00:04:54.030 --> 00:04:55.594 He says, doesn't matter. 52 00:04:55.792 --> 00:04:59.126 Even if you drive in the middle of the night, you come across one of those stop signs. 53 00:04:59.158 --> 00:05:01.760 You stop, okay. 54 00:05:03.650 --> 00:05:05.358 And in my head, I said, wow. 55 00:05:05.444 --> 00:05:07.550 They follow all the traffic rules. 56 00:05:09.410 --> 00:05:11.070 And I go back to India. 57 00:05:12.470 --> 00:05:13.074 Sure enough. 58 00:05:13.112 --> 00:05:15.502 Did you ever come across any stop signs in India? 59 00:05:15.646 --> 00:05:16.580 You did. 60 00:05:18.710 --> 00:05:27.494 And as a very good law abiding citizen of the country, I see a stop sign for sure. 61 00:05:27.532 --> 00:05:33.000 And I stopped in India, a bunch of cars honking at me, get out of my way. 62 00:05:35.770 --> 00:05:37.990 And I said, wow, I'm back in India. 63 00:05:41.870 --> 00:05:43.146 Doesn't make any sense. 64 00:05:43.248 --> 00:05:46.940 Over there, we do have the median in the road. 65 00:05:48.030 --> 00:05:50.060 It's just decorating the road. 66 00:05:50.670 --> 00:05:52.320 You just get out and go. 67 00:05:57.010 --> 00:06:00.030 I came across the expression Holy cow. 68 00:06:03.570 --> 00:06:09.646 I was around a bunch of kids, and kids, they're talking, and one of them yelled, holy cow. 69 00:06:09.678 --> 00:06:12.260 And I said, excuse me, is cow holy here as wEll? 70 00:06:17.530 --> 00:06:24.950 I said, well, I come from the country where cow is really, really holy, because the cow is revered, it's worshipped. 71 00:06:25.610 --> 00:06:28.374 We don't get any beef in that part of the world. 72 00:06:28.492 --> 00:06:35.420 So unfortunately, for those of you contemplating coming down to India, you will have to forego your beef for a while. 73 00:06:35.950 --> 00:06:39.610 You'll just have to become either vegetarians or chicken Terrians. 74 00:06:41.390 --> 00:06:43.418 But I do worship my cow. 75 00:06:43.594 --> 00:06:46.560 The best way you can worship a cow is on a plate, right? 76 00:06:47.010 --> 00:06:51.120 Oh, that poor people over there do not know what they're missing out on. 77 00:06:52.530 --> 00:06:53.534 It's just amazing. 78 00:06:53.652 --> 00:06:57.266 It's just amazing how God works everything together. 79 00:06:57.448 --> 00:06:59.220 But the best part is over. 80 00:06:59.990 --> 00:07:01.506 We have a bunch of people over there. 81 00:07:01.528 --> 00:07:26.250 Who loves the same Lord as a bunch of people that I get to meet when I'm here states, we worship the same Lord, the same God who sent his beloved Son to die for us on the cross, who healed us from this deadly disease called sin by paying the price that God demanded for the remissions of our sins. 82 00:07:27.230 --> 00:07:28.166 And we rejoice. 83 00:07:28.198 --> 00:07:31.706 This morning we celebrate because he's not a God on the cross. 84 00:07:31.898 --> 00:07:33.018 He died. 85 00:07:33.194 --> 00:07:36.478 And on the third day, he rose again, and he's alive today. 86 00:07:36.564 --> 00:07:39.582 And that's the reason we worship God. 87 00:07:39.716 --> 00:07:43.754 He has ears, he hears, he has eyes, and he sees. 88 00:07:43.802 --> 00:07:47.586 He's got hands, and they work for us, and God's hands work for us. 89 00:07:47.688 --> 00:07:49.922 No power on earth can stop it. 90 00:07:50.056 --> 00:07:52.306 We praise God for that God. 91 00:07:52.328 --> 00:07:59.160 And if there's someone sitting over here and someone listening to us far away, you do not have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. 92 00:08:00.570 --> 00:08:06.200 This is the time to do it and taste and see that the Lord is good. 93 00:08:07.050 --> 00:08:13.610 This morning I want to share with you from the Book of Mark, chapter 14. 94 00:08:15.550 --> 00:08:17.050 Mark, chapter 14. 95 00:08:18.270 --> 00:08:23.710 And I would like to read from verse three to verse nine in my Indian accent. 96 00:08:24.850 --> 00:08:28.778 And I hope you're going to pardon me for the mistakes. 97 00:08:28.874 --> 00:08:33.454 I just am so amazed how English is spoken so differently in the United States. 98 00:08:33.652 --> 00:08:35.034 It's just like in India. 99 00:08:35.082 --> 00:08:37.874 We have 26 different languages, and all languages are different. 100 00:08:37.912 --> 00:08:43.970 But then we, me and my wife Susan, come over and we find English is also spoken in so many other languages. 101 00:08:44.630 --> 00:08:52.246 You go in one part of this country, and English is spoken totally differently than how it is spoken over here in this part of the world. 102 00:08:52.428 --> 00:09:06.414 Well, one time I was in this church, and I was thanking everybody and especially wanted to thank this one couple who had housed me for the whole month. 103 00:09:06.612 --> 00:09:10.238 And that was my first time. 104 00:09:10.404 --> 00:09:16.002 And I stood up and I thanked Byron and I thanked Nancy for putting up with me for about a month. 105 00:09:16.056 --> 00:09:25.670 They took great care of me, and I told them, I've never seen a more homely person than Nancy. 106 00:09:30.330 --> 00:09:36.230 Now, if you come to India and if you call a woman homely, that's a title of honor. 107 00:09:38.190 --> 00:09:43.500 How am I supposed to know that this is what you do if you call someone homely over here? 108 00:09:44.670 --> 00:09:49.030 And in that church, nobody said a word. 109 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:56.160 I could see a few raised eyebrows, and I thought maybe my English people didn't understand. 110 00:09:56.770 --> 00:09:58.462 And so I restressed it again. 111 00:09:58.516 --> 00:10:01.860 I said, nancy is a very homely person. 112 00:10:02.950 --> 00:10:04.126 Still no response. 113 00:10:04.158 --> 00:10:06.980 And I thought maybe I messed know. 114 00:10:07.750 --> 00:10:13.220 And after the service, Byron comes running over to me, says, we never call a woman homely here. 115 00:10:14.490 --> 00:10:18.680 I said, oops, I will never do that. 116 00:10:19.690 --> 00:10:20.406 That was it. 117 00:10:20.428 --> 00:10:22.520 They never called me again in their house. 118 00:10:26.730 --> 00:10:40.774 Reading from verse three onwards of Chapter 14 of the Book of Mark, and being in Bethany in the house of Simon the Leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of Spike nerd. 119 00:10:40.822 --> 00:10:41.534 How do you say that? 120 00:10:41.572 --> 00:10:42.154 Spike nerd. 121 00:10:42.202 --> 00:10:43.230 Spike nerd. 122 00:10:43.890 --> 00:10:44.810 Spike nerd. 123 00:10:44.890 --> 00:10:45.930 Very precious. 124 00:10:46.090 --> 00:10:48.800 And she break the box and poured it on his head. 125 00:10:49.250 --> 00:10:57.634 And there were some that had indignation within themselves and said, why was this waste of the ointment made for? 126 00:10:57.672 --> 00:11:02.622 It might have been sold for more than 300 pence and would have been given to the poor. 127 00:11:02.766 --> 00:11:06.770 And they murmured against her and Jesus said, let her alone. 128 00:11:06.930 --> 00:11:08.614 Why trouble ye her? 129 00:11:08.812 --> 00:11:11.400 She has wrought a good work on me. 130 00:11:11.770 --> 00:11:14.040 For you have the poor with you always. 131 00:11:14.890 --> 00:11:19.498 And whensoever you will, you may do them good. 132 00:11:19.664 --> 00:11:22.140 But me ye have not always. 133 00:11:23.150 --> 00:11:25.100 She hath done what she could. 134 00:11:25.870 --> 00:11:29.290 She's come aforehand to anoint my body to the bearing. 135 00:11:30.210 --> 00:11:43.860 Verily I say unto you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. 136 00:11:46.970 --> 00:11:51.480 I just want to bring out three important facts that I learned out of this. 137 00:11:52.490 --> 00:12:02.570 Here is this young lady who has a very valuable, expensive box of ointment. 138 00:12:03.790 --> 00:12:15.214 And I've heard people say that it possibly costed a whole year's wages of a person and that was that. 139 00:12:15.252 --> 00:12:16.346 Very expensive. 140 00:12:16.538 --> 00:12:18.990 How she got it, nobody knows. 141 00:12:19.410 --> 00:12:27.730 Maybe she inherited it, but it was the most precious, valuable thing that she kept for herself. 142 00:12:28.550 --> 00:12:30.930 What she was going to do, nobody knows. 143 00:12:31.830 --> 00:12:53.770 But when she sees Jesus, she's so amazed at what Jesus is teaching and preaching, she's amazed at what he does, raising up the dead, healing the sick, doing things that has never ever been done ever before. 144 00:12:55.980 --> 00:13:04.172 She sits down and she thinks, what can I do for him who does so many wonderful, amazing things? 145 00:13:04.306 --> 00:13:07.950 Even her life, her life was touched by him. 146 00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:20.720 And she looks and she finds this most valuable possession that she had and she brings it and offers it all to the Lord. 147 00:13:22.660 --> 00:13:29.430 She teaches me the first of the three things, do what you can. 148 00:13:32.040 --> 00:13:37.370 The second of the three things, do all that you can. 149 00:13:40.380 --> 00:13:44.650 Lastly, but not the least, do it now. 150 00:13:49.520 --> 00:13:50.830 Do what you can. 151 00:13:54.820 --> 00:14:07.460 I just thank the Lord for this great country of yours which has flooded the whole nations of the world with missionaries with the gospel of good news Jesus saves. 152 00:14:08.920 --> 00:14:15.780 Many decades ago when this great country, one of the churches from here, sent a man called William Carey in India. 153 00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:19.956 Just comes down over there and did some wonderful things. 154 00:14:20.138 --> 00:14:26.600 Never, ever thought that that would end up in being such a big and a vast thing for the Lord. 155 00:14:27.260 --> 00:14:38.860 By the way, did you know it was him and his group of people who came down to India and created a language which now has become the national language of India? 156 00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:40.220 Hindi. 157 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:47.200 Hindi was not something that existed, Pastor Bo in India as a gift from the missionaries. 158 00:14:49.540 --> 00:14:51.250 And they didn't stop there. 159 00:14:51.620 --> 00:14:57.680 They went on and started translating God's book into our languages. 160 00:14:58.420 --> 00:15:00.660 They translated into Hindi. 161 00:15:01.160 --> 00:15:01.904 Who knows? 162 00:15:01.952 --> 00:15:12.548 Eternity will reveal that I'm standing before all of you who has been blessed and perhaps Saved by what these men started in India. 163 00:15:12.644 --> 00:15:15.640 The gospel given to us in our language. 164 00:15:17.660 --> 00:15:29.372 And when we go out to different places, I really like to go to some old cemeteries and like to see those names of those people who have been buried over there. 165 00:15:29.506 --> 00:15:34.156 And I'm just amazed at some of the names, the English names, the American names. 166 00:15:34.188 --> 00:15:42.290 Men and women who came down to India, who laid down their lives and are buried over there years ago. 167 00:15:43.300 --> 00:15:50.192 Perhaps hardly anybody remembers them, but heaven remembers them in 19 hundreds. 168 00:15:50.256 --> 00:15:51.056 In 18 hundreds. 169 00:15:51.088 --> 00:16:01.860 I've seen those plaques over there, over the bodies of those people leaving the comforts of a country like America. 170 00:16:02.020 --> 00:16:11.516 Coming down to a country where there's hardly any roads, hardly any electricity, mosquitoes all around, malaria, typhoids, you name it, it's all over there. 171 00:16:11.618 --> 00:16:18.044 Why would a person want to go there unless he has a message? 172 00:16:18.242 --> 00:16:20.990 She has a message to tell them. 173 00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:35.264 We are so thankful to God for these great men and women who are willing to do what they could this morning. 174 00:16:35.302 --> 00:16:37.524 I want to put this question straight before you. 175 00:16:37.642 --> 00:16:55.050 What are you doing for the Lord, folks, if you do not do something, if you do not stand for something, you will fall for everything. 176 00:16:57.420 --> 00:17:04.460 Unfortunately, that is the plight of the Church in United States of America. 177 00:17:05.520 --> 00:17:06.910 What are you doing? 178 00:17:09.280 --> 00:17:12.140 Stand up and do something for the Lord. 179 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:16.850 The Lord said she did what she could. 180 00:17:17.220 --> 00:17:21.490 Great men and women of God did what they could. 181 00:17:25.300 --> 00:17:26.560 Going on further. 182 00:17:28.100 --> 00:17:29.330 Verse number three. 183 00:17:31.060 --> 00:17:39.364 And being in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having the alabaster box of ointment. 184 00:17:39.412 --> 00:17:39.716 Spike. 185 00:17:39.748 --> 00:17:40.180 Nerd. 186 00:17:40.260 --> 00:17:41.044 Very precious. 187 00:17:41.092 --> 00:17:47.032 She break it upon him and she poured it on his head. 188 00:17:47.086 --> 00:17:49.050 It's very interesting what she did. 189 00:17:49.420 --> 00:17:52.860 This ointment was way too expensive. 190 00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:56.988 But she didn't care about it. 191 00:17:57.154 --> 00:18:02.220 She broke it and poured it on the head of the Lord Jesus Christ. 192 00:18:02.370 --> 00:18:06.188 So much so that everything started dripping from his head to the toe. 193 00:18:06.364 --> 00:18:09.680 The room filled up with beautiful aroma. 194 00:18:10.100 --> 00:18:13.330 And the smell that was on Jesus was now on her. 195 00:18:15.460 --> 00:18:20.960 Sometimes I sit and think what I would have done with that box of oinTment. 196 00:18:21.120 --> 00:18:22.580 It's very expensive. 197 00:18:23.160 --> 00:18:24.708 I would have come in definitely. 198 00:18:24.794 --> 00:18:27.844 I'd like to offer Jesus the best that I can. 199 00:18:28.042 --> 00:18:37.720 I would come in and open the box lid, possibly go into the kitchen, get one of the best spoons possible and take a spoon. 200 00:18:39.100 --> 00:18:44.520 Anoint the Lord Jesus in the name of the Father, of the Son and the Holy Spirit. 201 00:18:44.600 --> 00:18:45.790 Put the lid back. 202 00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:51.020 Keep it within me or not want to give it all to the Lord. 203 00:18:54.180 --> 00:18:59.570 Here is this lady who gave it all. 204 00:19:00.500 --> 00:19:03.010 Did not want to keep it. 205 00:19:06.910 --> 00:19:08.318 Do what you can. 206 00:19:08.484 --> 00:19:11.120 Do all that you can. 207 00:19:12.770 --> 00:19:20.770 I don't know if you have heard anything about these four young people back in India, years ago, from the south of India. 208 00:19:22.470 --> 00:19:28.660 Burning with a desire to go into the part of that country which had not received the gospel yet. 209 00:19:29.430 --> 00:19:39.266 And these four men, just freshly out of this college, Bible College, had that heart overflowing with the good news of the gospel. 210 00:19:39.298 --> 00:19:41.160 And wanted to share it with people. 211 00:19:42.330 --> 00:19:44.470 Had everything but had empty pockets. 212 00:19:45.470 --> 00:19:48.410 They were about 3000 miles apart. 213 00:19:49.470 --> 00:19:52.860 They decided, we will walk. 214 00:19:53.870 --> 00:20:00.240 We will walk and reach the land of Rajasthan to share the good news of God. 215 00:20:02.290 --> 00:20:05.230 One of them was married with a ten month old baby. 216 00:20:05.890 --> 00:20:14.930 And all come together and try to discuss about how their walk would be planned. 217 00:20:15.270 --> 00:20:20.580 And they said, what happens if someone dies on the way? 218 00:20:21.510 --> 00:20:28.920 The unanimous decision was, if somebody dies on the way, we'll bury them there and the rest of the crew will march on. 219 00:20:29.530 --> 00:20:36.390 Such was their desire to reach that land with the gospel. 220 00:20:36.470 --> 00:20:37.980 They were not holding back. 221 00:20:39.310 --> 00:20:41.450 One of them was my father. 222 00:20:43.550 --> 00:20:58.240 On the day of their graduation, Brother Bill Bright, the director of the then India Campus crusade for Christ came to know about the crazy decision of these four young men. 223 00:20:59.010 --> 00:21:00.914 And he said, you don't, please don't walk. 224 00:21:00.952 --> 00:21:02.094 I will buy your tickets. 225 00:21:02.142 --> 00:21:08.574 So he bought their train tickets and they reach the land of Rajasthan. 226 00:21:08.702 --> 00:21:10.770 They end up in a city called Kota. 227 00:21:13.130 --> 00:21:23.160 On the 14th day of their arrival to Kota, they all decide to go out and start talking about the Lord Jesus Christ to the people. 228 00:21:25.930 --> 00:21:31.290 And something that my dad was so fond of sharing, even till the day of his death. 229 00:21:31.630 --> 00:21:39.680 He said the warm welcome that I received was these iron crowbars coming and hitting them. 230 00:21:40.050 --> 00:21:44.800 The very first blow came, landed on his body. 231 00:21:45.890 --> 00:21:47.886 And that knocked my father out. 232 00:21:47.988 --> 00:21:55.726 Was unconscious on the street, body all bloodied up, black and blue. 233 00:21:55.918 --> 00:21:57.470 The mob left him for dead. 234 00:21:57.550 --> 00:21:58.820 Went after the others. 235 00:21:59.510 --> 00:22:05.960 And he says the very next thing that I remembered was in the hospital when I opened my eyes, asking who brought me here. 236 00:22:06.730 --> 00:22:14.280 That did not dampen his desire to talk about the good news to others. 237 00:22:15.450 --> 00:22:33.200 And I praise God for men like them who are willing to go full out nothing holding back to reach one more person with the greatest news that the world has ever heard or the world will ever hear. 238 00:22:34.130 --> 00:22:36.270 Jesus saves. 239 00:22:38.290 --> 00:22:39.680 What are you doing? 240 00:22:41.910 --> 00:22:47.940 And if you are doing something, are you doing all that you can? 241 00:22:52.070 --> 00:22:53.860 I want you to think about it. 242 00:22:54.870 --> 00:22:56.260 Do what you can. 243 00:22:57.850 --> 00:22:59.480 Do all that you can. 244 00:23:01.290 --> 00:23:06.280 And the third one is, do it now. 245 00:23:07.450 --> 00:23:08.840 Now is the time. 246 00:23:10.190 --> 00:23:18.522 Listen to verse eight, where Jesus says, she hath done what she could. 247 00:23:18.656 --> 00:23:23.930 She has come aforehand to anoint my body to the burial. 248 00:23:25.890 --> 00:23:27.594 Now, that seems a little strange. 249 00:23:27.642 --> 00:23:29.054 Have you ever thought about it? 250 00:23:29.172 --> 00:23:37.170 Here is this young girl who has given her most valued possession to the Lord. 251 00:23:37.510 --> 00:23:46.850 And Jesus turns around and makes a comment that looks superficially, at least, very derogatory. 252 00:23:47.850 --> 00:23:50.550 She has come to anoint me for my burial. 253 00:23:51.450 --> 00:23:54.390 Like I said, I enjoy the American meals. 254 00:23:55.210 --> 00:24:02.330 We had a great time yesterday, last evening with this dear couple, Mike and Gwen. 255 00:24:02.830 --> 00:24:11.462 And that was the second time we had me and my wife had this crab legs ever in our life that was so good. 256 00:24:11.536 --> 00:24:14.990 In fact, they also taught us how to eat food with tools. 257 00:24:16.610 --> 00:24:17.854 That was really nice. 258 00:24:17.972 --> 00:24:22.190 I was so fascinated using my tools while we eat. 259 00:24:22.340 --> 00:24:23.600 It was so good. 260 00:24:24.930 --> 00:24:25.958 Imagine. 261 00:24:26.154 --> 00:24:26.766 Let's imagine. 262 00:24:26.798 --> 00:24:28.900 Let's put on our thinking caps at the moment. 263 00:24:29.270 --> 00:24:36.740 You call me, and we enjoy that wonderful beef and everything on the table and all that and full. 264 00:24:37.110 --> 00:24:39.286 And then I stand up and I thank you all. 265 00:24:39.308 --> 00:24:43.510 And I say, now, will you please go ahead and prepare my coffin? 266 00:24:44.090 --> 00:24:45.750 Prepare me for my death. 267 00:24:47.210 --> 00:24:49.058 That's insulting, isn't it? 268 00:24:49.084 --> 00:24:49.894 That's embarrassing. 269 00:24:49.942 --> 00:24:51.638 Is Jesus insulting this woman? 270 00:24:51.734 --> 00:24:52.954 No, he is not. 271 00:24:52.992 --> 00:24:54.540 He never does It. 272 00:24:55.230 --> 00:24:58.250 Jesus never passes any derogatory comments. 273 00:24:59.070 --> 00:25:05.022 You know, if you read the Book of Luke, chapter 24. 274 00:25:05.156 --> 00:25:07.040 Let's head out there for a moment. 275 00:25:07.730 --> 00:25:18.050 And you will find over there that a week later, exactly after a week later, Jesus was dead. 276 00:25:18.790 --> 00:25:26.194 And verse one says, now, upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the Sepulchre, bringing these women. 277 00:25:26.312 --> 00:25:31.654 They came to the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared and certain others with them. 278 00:25:31.692 --> 00:25:34.930 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 279 00:25:35.010 --> 00:25:39.322 And they entered in and found not the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. 280 00:25:39.376 --> 00:25:43.542 You see, these women had come, according to the Jewish traditions. 281 00:25:43.606 --> 00:25:48.970 They came over to embalm the body of their beloved dead. 282 00:25:49.310 --> 00:25:54.938 They could not do it because Jesus from the cross straight away, was taken for his burial. 283 00:25:55.034 --> 00:25:56.094 They could not do it. 284 00:25:56.132 --> 00:26:00.570 And on the third day, these women decided to go and do the traditions. 285 00:26:00.730 --> 00:26:04.190 Ladies, you are late. 286 00:26:05.270 --> 00:26:12.820 Because that girl did that a week ago, something that was very important. 287 00:26:14.310 --> 00:26:18.790 This girl with the Alabaster box did that. 288 00:26:18.860 --> 00:26:20.422 She did not wait for another week. 289 00:26:20.476 --> 00:26:23.462 She did it right there and right then. 290 00:26:23.596 --> 00:26:26.600 That's why I say, do it now. 291 00:26:28.010 --> 00:26:28.994 Do it now. 292 00:26:29.132 --> 00:26:31.770 Tomorrow might be too late. 293 00:26:33.790 --> 00:26:50.080 I praise God for those wonderful testimonies that we have about those great men and women of God who have lived their lives, their yester years, not thinking about what they would do tomorrow or not thinking about what they would do next week. 294 00:26:50.690 --> 00:26:56.260 But they were prompt in doing what they could right then and there. 295 00:26:57.190 --> 00:27:01.330 It pleased the Lord to call my father home two years ago to glory. 296 00:27:03.830 --> 00:27:06.210 He would always call me as his pastor. 297 00:27:08.070 --> 00:27:13.190 And it was a difficult role to fit in because he has always been my pastor. 298 00:27:13.930 --> 00:27:15.990 He, in fact, has been my Bible college. 299 00:27:16.060 --> 00:27:20.070 He has taught me things that I would never, ever otherwise learned from anywhere. 300 00:27:20.590 --> 00:27:26.730 In my times of difficult situations, I would go to him and seek his advice. 301 00:27:27.230 --> 00:27:31.290 And that was a different kind of a relationship that me and my dad enjoyed. 302 00:27:32.930 --> 00:27:40.480 But when the Lord called him home, he wanted me to do his funeral, which was, again, a very difficult thing here. 303 00:27:41.170 --> 00:27:46.210 Just about grieving, the going away of your own father. 304 00:27:46.950 --> 00:27:53.714 But at the same time, you really want to do what you can for this body. 305 00:27:53.912 --> 00:27:57.726 The last chance, what you're supposed to do as a pastor. 306 00:27:57.838 --> 00:28:05.174 And I'm standing before the open grave, and I look around, there are a bunch of people standing over there. 307 00:28:05.212 --> 00:28:06.342 A lot of lot of them. 308 00:28:06.396 --> 00:28:10.010 There were a lot of people who are online watching and witnessing. 309 00:28:10.510 --> 00:28:23.840 And I could see many of them literally in their tears, crying, sobbing, breaking down, as they could not come to terms with the going away of this great man of God. 310 00:28:25.090 --> 00:28:30.080 And I'm standing over there, and I'm thinking, how can this be possible? 311 00:28:31.010 --> 00:28:36.674 Here is a man who came to Rajasthan trying to make his ends meet. 312 00:28:36.872 --> 00:28:39.022 There were times he was hungry. 313 00:28:39.166 --> 00:28:42.034 There were times there were enemies pouncing on him. 314 00:28:42.072 --> 00:28:58.418 There was time when a few folks came over to him and said, if you do not stop doing what you are doing, we are going to cut you into eight pieces and spread all the pieces of parts of your body in eight different directions of the city of Jaipur. 315 00:28:58.594 --> 00:29:01.178 To which my dad replied, he said, you know what? 316 00:29:01.264 --> 00:29:04.150 You just cut my body into 16 pieces. 317 00:29:04.310 --> 00:29:10.966 And if you have ears to hear, every piece of my body would be screaming. 318 00:29:10.998 --> 00:29:14.106 At the top of its voice, Jesus saves. 319 00:29:14.218 --> 00:29:14.986 Jesus saves. 320 00:29:15.018 --> 00:29:16.160 Do what you can. 321 00:29:18.050 --> 00:29:25.382 And on his 75th birthday, he stood up and he was giving his testimony in the small Thanksgiving meeting that we had arranged. 322 00:29:25.466 --> 00:29:31.570 And he said years ago, folks, there were many people who were there after my life who want to cut me into different pieces. 323 00:29:32.310 --> 00:29:33.940 I'm still looking for them. 324 00:29:37.430 --> 00:29:39.350 He never waited for tomorrow. 325 00:29:40.090 --> 00:29:44.742 He knew his time was short and he went ahead and did what he could. 326 00:29:44.876 --> 00:29:53.370 And the result was there to see for the next generation who was standing there at the funeral of his own father, of his own pastor. 327 00:29:54.270 --> 00:30:08.600 And I prayed, Lord, if you could use me even a fraction of how you use that man, I would be honored. 328 00:30:11.290 --> 00:30:15.110 And I said, lord, you take me to places. 329 00:30:18.050 --> 00:30:20.820 If you want me to go to the jail, I will go. 330 00:30:21.510 --> 00:30:23.646 By the way, there is no church in the jail in Jaipur. 331 00:30:23.678 --> 00:30:24.500 Brother Bo. 332 00:30:24.950 --> 00:30:26.820 2000 people over there. 333 00:30:27.750 --> 00:30:34.198 And if the anticonversion law takes me over there, that's what I plan to do. 334 00:30:34.364 --> 00:30:46.330 Talk about my Lord Jesus Christ, brag about him, telling those people there's no hope but Jesus and Jesus alone. 335 00:30:57.330 --> 00:31:02.340 Our visits to United States folks has taught us a few things. 336 00:31:03.110 --> 00:31:19.430 As difficult as the land of India is and as thankful we are to God for this great country that has flooded the nations with great missionaries into all the parts of the globe. 337 00:31:20.170 --> 00:31:38.350 Each time me and Susan, as we land here, as we come over here and look around, we find folks that your country right now is in dire need of missionaries. 338 00:31:40.690 --> 00:31:51.300 This country is now raising a generation who does not know anything about the Lord Jesus Christ, who does not know anything about the good news. 339 00:31:51.830 --> 00:31:56.130 It is now very quickly turning into a pagan nation. 340 00:31:58.230 --> 00:32:03.880 My heart goes out because how fast it has become. 341 00:32:04.330 --> 00:32:18.374 And my heart is saddened to see the plight of the church which is carved a comfortable zone and is seated so comfortably while people perish without ever hearing the good news of salvation. 342 00:32:18.502 --> 00:32:26.300 What are you doing for your own people, for your own children, for your neighbors, for the people that you work with? 343 00:32:27.330 --> 00:32:28.830 They need Jesus. 344 00:32:30.450 --> 00:32:32.510 They need to hear the gospel. 345 00:32:36.200 --> 00:32:47.110 Do what you can, do all that you can and do it now. 346 00:32:48.360 --> 00:32:49.430 Do it now. 347 00:32:54.660 --> 00:33:06.070 If there's someone sitting over here who doesn't know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, and you've heard the Gospel time and again, you've been coming to this church a number of times. 348 00:33:08.600 --> 00:33:15.050 But perhaps you're wondering, well, I'll do it in a later time. 349 00:33:17.420 --> 00:33:19.130 This could be our last time. 350 00:33:19.820 --> 00:33:21.770 There may be no later time available. 351 00:33:22.300 --> 00:33:23.732 And I've seen that folks. 352 00:33:23.796 --> 00:33:30.680 I've seen that my heart goes out to the announcement that was made. 353 00:33:30.750 --> 00:33:38.430 There are churches over here which hasn't had any baptisms for the last six, 7810 or more years in the United States. 354 00:33:38.880 --> 00:33:39.630 Wow. 355 00:33:41.760 --> 00:33:48.990 When you have everything so easy over here, you talk of persecution which is not here at all. 356 00:33:49.760 --> 00:33:54.444 I've heard about from a few folks how they were persecuted up in Ohio. 357 00:33:54.492 --> 00:33:55.616 And I said, how? 358 00:33:55.798 --> 00:33:57.072 Tell me about it. 359 00:33:57.206 --> 00:34:08.132 They said, we went out door to door and we were sharing this Piece of paper, tracked handing it out and we've had a few people come and slam the door at us. 360 00:34:08.266 --> 00:34:09.136 I was persecuted. 361 00:34:09.168 --> 00:34:12.548 I said folks, you do not know what persecution is. 362 00:34:12.714 --> 00:34:15.930 That is not persecution at all. 363 00:34:18.380 --> 00:34:26.040 As I speak today, right now there are thousands and thousands of believers and pastors in the jail. 364 00:34:26.540 --> 00:34:29.720 Not for any misdeeds or misconduct. 365 00:34:30.060 --> 00:34:34.604 They are in the jails not only over in India but other parts of the world as well. 366 00:34:34.802 --> 00:34:39.468 I can only talk about India because I come from there because of this anti conversion law. 367 00:34:39.554 --> 00:34:45.712 You and I cannot go and share the Gospel to anybody without if the magistrate is not witnessing it. 368 00:34:45.846 --> 00:34:53.060 And if you violate that law, six years of rigorous imprisonment and thousands of people are in the jail. 369 00:34:54.280 --> 00:34:55.990 Many have lost their lives. 370 00:34:57.720 --> 00:35:00.596 Folks, I'm not talking, I'm not glorifying these people. 371 00:35:00.778 --> 00:35:05.910 But all I'm trying to tell you is bragging about the Lord Jesus Christ. 372 00:35:06.520 --> 00:35:14.248 How the Gospel came to us, how God's Word was translated and given it to us and we hold it dear to our lives. 373 00:35:14.334 --> 00:35:18.110 Baptism is a matter of life and death for us over there. 374 00:35:18.960 --> 00:35:24.510 Of course, baptism is only the outward expression of what has happened to you inside. 375 00:35:25.360 --> 00:35:34.576 But that outward expression is costly not only to the person who is taking baptism, but also to the giver, the pastor over there. 376 00:35:34.598 --> 00:35:35.680 I've been threatened. 377 00:35:38.100 --> 00:35:47.156 That's the outward expression of you saying goodbye to the world, goodbye to the worldliness, goodbye to the gods of the world. 378 00:35:47.258 --> 00:35:55.080 And turning and saying, Lord, there is no one better, no one bigger, no one awesome than you. 379 00:35:55.230 --> 00:35:56.890 And I will follow you. 380 00:35:57.340 --> 00:35:58.760 That is costly. 381 00:35:59.580 --> 00:36:01.240 That will be costly. 382 00:36:03.420 --> 00:36:04.730 What are you doing? 383 00:36:07.040 --> 00:36:08.350 Do what you can. 384 00:36:08.720 --> 00:36:10.350 Do all that you can. 385 00:36:11.760 --> 00:36:12.910 Do it now. 386 00:36:15.200 --> 00:36:20.690 Father, we are so thankful to you for your word. 387 00:36:22.180 --> 00:36:23.120 We are nothing. 388 00:36:23.190 --> 00:36:27.970 We have nothing except it be given to us through your word. 389 00:36:29.940 --> 00:36:41.620 And as I in my limited capacity have placed this word before your children, now you take it, O Lord. 390 00:36:43.480 --> 00:36:44.790 Multiply it. 391 00:36:46.540 --> 00:36:48.170 Break the hearts of the people. 392 00:36:48.940 --> 00:36:53.160 May there be surrender, may there be rejoicing. 393 00:36:57.340 --> 00:36:59.290 For in your name we ask. 394 00:36:59.740 --> 00:37:00.760 Amen. 395 00:37:08.300 --> 00:37:09.644 Thanks again for listening. 396 00:37:09.732 --> 00:37:20.540 And be sure to check back next week for another episode in the meantime, you can visit us@willowridgechurch.org or by searching for Willowridge Church on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.