U-turn (Day 11) The plot to kill Jesus and the anointing at Bethany | Pr Paul Yong

Good morning, good afternoon and good evening now depending on which time zones you

are tuning from. I just pray everyone is doing so well. Welcome today

eleven of Yuton. My name is Pastor Paul from exch Is, Ganda.

And if you don't know where is Ganda is, we are in the city

of job Barru bordering our neighbor country Singapore, where taylors With is currently having

a concerts at the time of this devotion recording. Okay, so today I'll

be sharing from Matthew chapter twenty six, verse one to thirteen, and where

the title is the plot to kill Jesus and the nineteen at Bethany. Okay,

So, in the interest of time, I just want to encourage you

all to read the verses in your own time. But for now, just

allow me to paraphraate of what's going on in the scriptures. Okay, here

we go. So now Jesus starts off by telling his disciples that he will

be killed during the past Over festival. And this is a serious warning about

what is going to happen to him soon. Now, meanwhile, the religious

leaders they discussed the plot, you know, to secretly capture and kill Jesus.

However, they decide not to do it during the past over celebration because

they are afraid that the people will be upset. And then in the second

part of Scripture, in the town of Bethany, Jesus goes to the house

of a man named Simon who used to have leprosy, and while he is

there, a woman comes and paus this expensive perfume onto his head. Now,

imagine pouring a three hundred and ninety ring it or chanel number five onto

your head as if you are applying shampoo. You know, and yes,

I did my research on the cost and know I did not use number five

about anyway. So when this woman pours an expensive perfume onto jesus head,

the disciples saw the act and they were so angry because they think it was

such a waste. And you know, the woman could have sold the expensive

perfume at a higher price and the money can be given to the poor,

true right. But Jesus says, it's a beautiful thing that she has done,

and he explains that you know, she's preparing him for a burial.

So there are two key points that I want to point out here. The

first point is about Jesus' sacrificial mission. Now, it's very important to know

that Jesus wasn't surprised by his death. He understood that it was necessary to

fulfill God's plan for ourservation. And Jesus repeatedly predicts his own death to his

disciples, and he mentioned that in the early chapter Matthew, chapter sixteen,

verse twenty one, where it's says that Jesus began to show to his disciples

that he must go to Jerusalem, that he will suffer many things from the

elders and the chief priests and scribes, even be killed, but most importantly

be raised on the third day. Wow. Now, Jesus totally understands that

his purpose on earth is to offer himself as a ransom for many, and

this demonstrates the depth of his life and his commitment to all of us.

That's tuning in right here. So now, imagine, you know, just

sacrificing something really precious from you, whether it's to help a close friend or

a family member that is truly in need. Now, let me ask you,

would you be willing to sacrifice off your I don't know, play station

five, Okay to help someone that's in need? Now, Okay, imagine

the listener is thinking right now, no way, Jose, you know.

Or how about something even bigger, you know, sacrifice your Tesla car.

Wow. I don't know who has a Tesla car here, but I can

imagine they're thinking, no way over my dead body, because that's just too

precious. Right now, how about sacrificing your designer handbag. You know,

I can hear all the ladies thinking, right now, touch my handbag and

you die. You know. But look, if you think all these materials

are of high value to you, well guess what. Jesus gave up his

life, the most valuable thing there is to save all of us here.

And Jesus' sacrificial mission is the cornerstone of our Christian faith. And by understanding

its meaning and applying it to our life, we can experience a deeper connection

with God, we can live with greater purpose in our life, and we

can all proclaim that all may know the message of God's love and hope with

other people. There's within your domain, whether that's in your marketplace, your

schools, your campuses, household, Communitian center. You know, this is

to be our sacrificial mission to help people believe that God is real and you

can experience him today too, you know, if you repent for your sins

and a call upon Jesus to be a law and personal savior. Okay,

it sounds like I'm doing a salvation corner. Okay, all right, So

let's move on to the second part of the scripture. Now. The second

type of way point is acts of devotion. Now, acts of devotion involves

sacrificial giving and a heartfelt expressions of love and honoring towards God. And the

woman's act of just pouring that expensive perfume on jesus head, it represents the

depth of her devotion and her recognition of its divine identity and also forthcoming of

his sacrificial death. So when the disciples respond, you know, it actually

highlights a very different perspective on the value of the woman's act. And while

they focus on the practicality of the perfume cell, Jesus emphasizes the spiritual significance

of her sacrificial offering and this affirming the purity of devotion to Him above material

concerns. So when Jesus defended the woman, it actually emphasized his appreciation towards

the woman for her heartfelt act of devotion and sacrificial giving, and Jesus recognizes

and honors her as a preparation for his impending death and burial. So which

demonstrate the profound impact of the acts of devotion on the Kingdom of God.

So ask myself here, what is one act devotion that involves just tremendous sacrificial

giving that shows my expression of love and honor towards God. And I can

tell you, you know, it didn't take very long for the whole Spirit

to just nudge me to share about the planting of church. Excanda. Now,

just like the woman pouring her expensive perfume to honor Jesus. To me

at that point in time, which was about eight years ago, when I

was still living in Singapore with my wife my two daughters, I pour out

three precious things that meant the world to me as an act of devotion to

Jesus. I pour out my corporate high paying job from where I can expect

a salary to be banged into my account every month with no worries at all.

From that to starting my own business now with no fixed income on a

monthly basis, what else? I pull out my beautiful home, you know,

an expensive conominium that I own, to a rented home that is owned

by someone else for the past seven years. And lastly, I pour out

my friends, I pour out my church family. There I pull out the

community that I have had a deep relationship with for more than a decade to

a place that I do not know anyone at all. I pour them out

all out as an act of devotion onto Jesus, making this sacrifice to rebuild

all over again by venturing into the unknown, walking by faith and not by

side the plan acts Church Iskander. So, just as Jesus understood his sacrificial

death was necessary to fulfill his father's plan for observation, I myself understood my

sacrificial act was necessary too to fulfill God's plan to advance his kingdom here just

as it is in heaven, so that every person that walks through the door

of Extra Tascanda can find hope and the future in knowing Jesus. Amen.

So, just before I close my devotion, here is a bonus point.

Now people have often asked me why Planet Church when your hands were so full,

when you had to rebuild your career, set to your family in the

new environment getting to know your new community. You know, it's almost like

that games of Snakes and Ladder in a where you take your time to roll

your dice to reach the top, and then you roll the next dice and

guess what, you land a leader, which takes you all the way back

to the starting point, all the way towards the bottom. It is frustrating,

you know, and certainly very tiring, because you spend decade building everything

that is so precious to you and suddenly it's just all gone. It is

true, truly uncomfortable. So the question is why do it? Then?

You know, why make such a risky move when are when you are just

so comfortable and you are at the top, you know, just remain there,

you know, just don't roll the dice. Right, Well, the

answer is simple. Here's point number three. Obedience is more important than sacrifice.

Jesus obedience to his Father's will by dying on the cross for our salvation.

It's truly a profound demonstration of his love to us all. Therefore,

by obeying the God's call to plan extra is Ganda. This is the sacrificial

cross that I've been caring for almost seven years now to fulfill the purpose He

has for my life here, and I thank God for the blessings of the

hundreds of people that He had brought into my life. It is truly a

joy and a privilege to serve God. Furthermore, it's not like I had

any experience of church planting in my portfolio or a manual guide to church planting

one o one. But if there is ever a guide, it's God's word.

And I speak from Jeremiah chapter thirty three, verse three. It says,

call to me, and I will answer you and show you great and

mighty things which you do not know. Amen. So in this season of

Utahn, call upon a mighty God by just tuning into his frequency, obey

his word, and he will show you great and mighty things which do you

do not know yet. Amen. All right, So I'll leave you with

this one question for you to ponder before I pray. So the question is

how can I share the story that all may know of Jesus sacrifice and love

with those around me, both in words and through my actions. Let us

pray, telling your Father, and together in your presence, tuning into your

frequency wherever our listeners are from, we stand together in honor of the sacrificial

mission of your beloved son, Jesus Christ. And as he journey towards the

cross, he willingly embraced the way of our sins in enduring an imagined suffering

and anquish all out of love for us. And through his selfless sacrifice,

he's secure for our forgiveness, our redemption and eternal life. Oh Lord,

made the reality of jesus sacrificial mission just penetrate the depth of our souls,

inspiring within us a profound sense of gratitude and humility. Holy Spirit, help

us, help us to be reminded by the acts of devotion as shown by

the woman who are nototed Jesus with that costly perfumed and just like her,

male hearts overflow with love and devotion for Jesus, our Savior and Lord,

grant us the courage to express our devotion through the acts of worship, service

and sacrificial love. And may our lives be a living testament to the death

of our love for you, Oh Father, I pray during this u turn

period of twenty one days of prayer and fast, may we humble ourself to

come before you surrender yourself to your will. Help us to lay aside our

selfish ambitions and desires, and to wholeheartily embrace your perfect plan for our lives.

May your spirit empowers us to live as a living sacrifice holy and pleasing

to you. And as we seek to fulfill your purposes and to bring glory

to your name, Herring your Father, as we live our voices in prayer,

May your kingdom come and You'll be done on earth as it is in

heaven. Man, your name be exalted and your glory be revealed in our

midst here. Pray, o Lord, and let your kingdom reign in our

hearts and the world around us, and the domain that you have placed us

in, so that all may know the mighty name of Jesus Christ, the

name of old names. We give you all the praise in Jesus precious name.

We pray Amen. So once again, thank you all for tuning in,

and have a wonderful u turn and a blessed day ahead. God bless