She Hath Done What She Could (Part II)

“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 spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.”

(Mark 14:3 )

In this Part II sermon, God is calling us to accept Himwithout delay because “tomorrow” may be too late.

II – SHE DID WHAT SHE COULD WHILE SHE COULD DO - “ She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.” (Mark 14:8). “She hath done what she could.” “She acted immediately.”

1. Act NOW: Tomorrow may be too late. Do what you can for Jesus NOW. Now is the only time we own to do His precious will, Do not wait until tomorrow; For the clock may then be still.

Illustration: “To Pass This World Once”
Stephen Grellet was a French – born Quaker (religious society of Friends) who died in New Jersey in 1855. Grellet would be unknown to the world today except for a few lines which made him immortal.
The familiar lines, which have served as an inspiration to so many people, are these: “I shall pass through this world but ONCE. Any good that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it NOW and not defer it. For I shall not pass this way again.”

2. Faith and actions are INSEPARABLE. Faith without works is a lifeless faith. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1). Note the words: “Now, FAITH is the substance.” FAITH is NOW! Not tomorrow! Some are great “tomorrow” people. “I don’t have time” we often say. That is the WORST KIND OF BLASPHEMY. For God in His goodness has given to each one of us the time of our lives. Let’s take our time, before time take us. Let us take our time TODAY for God’s sake. “Never put off ‘till tomorrow the things you can do today.”

Illustration: "In a Minute”
A little girl had gotten into the habit of replying, “IN A MINUTE” to anything her mother asked her to do. When her mother asked her to run an errand or bring something, the little girl would say, “I’ll do it in a minute”. - One day the little girl’s pet bird had been let out of its cage and was playing on the floor. The mother said to her daughter, “Shut the door, or the cat will go after your bird.” “Yes, mother, in a minute,” replied the little girl, “I just want to finish my drawing.” But the cat didn’t wait, he saw the bird on the floor and with one dart had the bird in his mouth. The little girl screamed and gave chase to the cat. “In a minute”, the little girl returned, crying, with her dead bird in her hand. The little girl learned a lesson: MANY THINGS CAN HAPPEN “IN A MINUTE”.

3. “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”
(Proverbs 27:1). Satan has many lies that he whispers in our ears: “YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME.” But what does God say? “ For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. TODAY if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness.” (Psalm 95:7-8). “Today if ye will hear His voice.”“Harden not your heart!” Time does not tarry, death does not tarry. Satan, and all the powers of darkness are busy. When God says, “DO IT!” we should DO IT NOW! Tomorrow might be too late! Let us each ask ourselves – “IS THIS MY LAST?”then, “MY LAST SHALL BE MY BEST”.- The best time for CHANGE. The best time to examine the DIRECTION of our lives. The best time to CONFESS our sins and find forgiveness from God. God is giving us time to QUIT living our way and begin living His way. You can’t see the stopwatch of God’s patience and there is no bargaining for additional time.

4. St. Francis of Assisi, hoeing his garden, was asked what he would do if he were suddenly to learn that he was to die at sunset that day. He said; “I would finish hoeing my garden.”
Application:
a. Even though we believe in the imminent return of Jesus, we should go right on preparing for the work God has called us into.b. There is only ONE LIFE that it will soon past; only what’s done for Christ will last.
Invest your life well. Invest it for the services of the Lord.
c. Millions are investing in temporal possessions – they pursue things that wear out, rust and decay.
Earthly treasures do not last, but spiritual treasures are of eternal value.
“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:20-21).

(From Rev. Pastor Teofilito A. Rufon's Sunday Worship Messages)