"Mary was the first to commemorate the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus, and Simon the first to carry the cross to walk with Him. He himself would not have thought that from then on all those who followed Jesus would carry the cross like him, walking with the Lord."
On the afternoon of April 2, Good Friday, Elder Ou Enlin of Shanghai Grace Church gave a sermon titled "Perfume and Cross", citing Mark 14:3-9 and Matthew 27:32-33. He shared the relationship between Mary's anointing with the crucifixion of Jesus and the revelation of Simon's bearing of the cross.
"Mary in Bethany always listened carefully to Jesus, thinking over and over again, and Jesus must also teach God's will for Him (Jesus), including His death for everyone, so Mary was moved to seize the moment to pour expensive perfume worth a year’s wages on His feet. Why did Mary do it so solemnly? Because she realized that the death of Lord Jesus who rules all things in the world was the most precious, she seized the opportunity in advance to commemorate the Lord.” Therefore, Elder Ou encouraged the believers to provide the best things, such as gifts and service for the Lord’s use.
"Judas said the money should be given to the poor, but he sold Jesus for the same 30 silver coins which impressed him. The Lord Jesus said she had done a beautiful thing to Him, and he was not without mercy for the poor, as he truly sympathized with the poor. When we dedicate the best things to commemorate His sacrifice in reverence, the Lord is pleased to accept." He added.
After the Lord Jesus was flogged and the physical suffering reached the highest point, the soldiers forced a man named Simon from Cyrene in the crowd to carry the cross of Jesus in order to alleviate His physical suffering. He was not willing to do this, but the soldiers chose him because the people from Cyrene located in North Africa were stronger than the soldiers and their skin was darker.
He claimed, "There must be something that God values in us, that we and others don’t know, but God knows, so God who prepares the salvation chooses us to serve Him. So our unworthiness does not prevent us from being saved by grace, as long as we follow the Lord to go forward."
The preacher continued, "Since He chooses us, He must know that we can accomplish His work. We all have the ability to do what God tells us to do, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit."
Ou shared that some people thought bearing the cross meant experiencing suffering to follow the Lord as if suffering was a cross, but this was nothing remarkable since many people could endure suffering.
"Others said that God’s will is our cross, as it is really not easy for us to do it and it is painful to follow His will. We should take up the whole cross, including the suffering and the following of God’s will, to walk on a beautiful journey with Him."
Finally, the elder said, "We must learn from Mary of Bethany to commemorate the Lord with our love and to serve Him with our gifts and best service. We should also carry our own cross to walk with the Lord like Simon, to bear God's deeds and will, and to participate in God's complete salvation plan."
- Translated by Abigail Wu
“玛利亚是第一个纪念主耶稣受难，西门是第一个背起十字架与主同行的人，他自己也不会想到，从今以后所有跟随主耶稣的人，像他一样背起自己十字架与主同行”
2021年4月2日受难日下午，上海怀恩堂的欧恩临长老根据马可福音14:3-9和马太福音27:32-33的经文，做了一篇题为《香膏与十架》的证道，分享玛利亚膏主和受难的关系，西门背十字架给我们的启示。
“因为玛利亚在平时的听道当中，由于认真、渴慕，一定会仔细听，反复思考。耶稣也一定把神对他的旨意，包括耶稣为众人受死的事一一教导，这样玛利亚对主耶稣的教导领会了，也有灵里的看见。因着她生命的感动，于是为了主耶稣的受难，事先浇上香膏，以作纪念，玛利亚为什么如此庄重地纪念主耶稣？ 因为她认识到，体会到，主耶稣是世上最宝贵，也是主宰天地万物的神，他死也当然是最宝贵，所以抓住机会纪念主”。因此欧长老激励信徒用最好的东西，比如恩赐，侍奉，来为主所用。“卖耶稣的犹大，为了同样的30两银子卖耶稣，因为30两银子足以打动犹大。主耶稣把玛利亚他看为宝贵，不是不怜恤穷人，主耶稣才是真正体恤穷人。”“当我们把最好的东西献给主用的时候，用最敬畏的心纪念的时候，主都喜悦，接纳。”他说道。
当主耶稣的受难，肉身的苦难达到最高点的时候，他们在人群中看到一个叫西门的古利奈人，就勉强他同去，好背耶稣的十字架，实在减轻主耶稣的肉体的苦难。他不是自愿的，也不是乐意做这个事，古利奈是在北非，皮肤比兵丁黑，人也比较强壮，这是兵丁拣选西门的原因。“神的救恩临到我们，他拣选了我们，一定有神看重我们的地方，我们自己不知道，其他人不知道，神知道，所以我们的不配，不妨碍我们蒙恩得救，我们只要跟随主往前走就行”。“他既然拣选我们，他一定知道我们可以完成他的工，他一定会让我们成就他的事情，让圣灵不断受造我们，原来我们都有能力做神叫我们做的事。”
牧者分享说：有人说，背十字架就是经历苦难来跟随主，好像苦难是十字架，但是苦难很多人能忍受，没什么了不起。也有人说，神的旨意才是我们的十字架。神的旨意让我们行出来，让我们遵行真的不容易，神的旨意让我们做的我们会觉得比痛苦还痛苦。“苦难虽是我们十字架的一部分，但神的旨意也是我们的十字架，我要坚定背起自己的整个十字架，来走好与主同行的美好的路程。”
“我们要更好学习伯大尼的玛利亚，用爱主之心来纪念主，用我们自己最好的香膏拿出来尽力侍奉主。激励我们以古利奈人西门的样式，来背起我们自己的与主同行的十字架，来体恤、来担当神的作为、神的旨意，有份于神完全的救赎的计划。”牧者最后总结说。
上海怀恩堂受难礼拜：香膏与十架
"Mary was the first to commemorate the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus, and Simon the first to carry the cross to walk with Him. He himself would not have thought that from then on all those who followed Jesus would carry the cross like him, walking with the Lord."
On the afternoon of April 2, Good Friday, Elder Ou Enlin of Shanghai Grace Church gave a sermon titled "Perfume and Cross", citing Mark 14:3-9 and Matthew 27:32-33. He shared the relationship between Mary's anointing with the crucifixion of Jesus and the revelation of Simon's bearing of the cross.
"Mary in Bethany always listened carefully to Jesus, thinking over and over again, and Jesus must also teach God's will for Him (Jesus), including His death for everyone, so Mary was moved to seize the moment to pour expensive perfume worth a year’s wages on His feet. Why did Mary do it so solemnly? Because she realized that the death of Lord Jesus who rules all things in the world was the most precious, she seized the opportunity in advance to commemorate the Lord.” Therefore, Elder Ou encouraged the believers to provide the best things, such as gifts and service for the Lord’s use.
"Judas said the money should be given to the poor, but he sold Jesus for the same 30 silver coins which impressed him. The Lord Jesus said she had done a beautiful thing to Him, and he was not without mercy for the poor, as he truly sympathized with the poor. When we dedicate the best things to commemorate His sacrifice in reverence, the Lord is pleased to accept." He added.
After the Lord Jesus was flogged and the physical suffering reached the highest point, the soldiers forced a man named Simon from Cyrene in the crowd to carry the cross of Jesus in order to alleviate His physical suffering. He was not willing to do this, but the soldiers chose him because the people from Cyrene located in North Africa were stronger than the soldiers and their skin was darker.
He claimed, "There must be something that God values in us, that we and others don’t know, but God knows, so God who prepares the salvation chooses us to serve Him. So our unworthiness does not prevent us from being saved by grace, as long as we follow the Lord to go forward."
The preacher continued, "Since He chooses us, He must know that we can accomplish His work. We all have the ability to do what God tells us to do, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit."
Ou shared that some people thought bearing the cross meant experiencing suffering to follow the Lord as if suffering was a cross, but this was nothing remarkable since many people could endure suffering.
"Others said that God’s will is our cross, as it is really not easy for us to do it and it is painful to follow His will. We should take up the whole cross, including the suffering and the following of God’s will, to walk on a beautiful journey with Him."
Finally, the elder said, "We must learn from Mary of Bethany to commemorate the Lord with our love and to serve Him with our gifts and best service. We should also carry our own cross to walk with the Lord like Simon, to bear God's deeds and will, and to participate in God's complete salvation plan."
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Good Friday Service Sermon: Perfume and Cross
