Running the Wrong Way

Matthew 26:6-16                                                                    March 16, 2002

Jeremiah 29:11

   For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Matt: 26:6-16

   When Jesus was at Bethany, a guest of Simon the Leper, [7] a woman came up to him as he was eating dinner and anointed him with a bottle of very expensive perfume. [8] When the disciples saw what was happening, they were furious. "That's criminal! [9] This could have been sold for a lot and the money handed out to the poor."

   [10] When Jesus realized what was going on, he intervened. "Why are you giving this woman a hard time? She has just done something wonderfully significant for me. [11] You will have the poor with you every day for the rest of your lives, but not me. [12] When she poured this perfume on my body, what she really did was anoint me for burial. [13] You can be sure that wherever in the whole world the Message is preached, what she has just done is going to be remembered and admired."

   [14] That is when one of the Twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the cabal of high priests [15] and said, "What will you give me if I hand him over to you?" They settled on thirty silver pieces. [16] He began looking for just the right moment to hand him over.

CCI: When God’s plans run counter to our plans, which way will we run?

Intro: Have you ever heard of "Wrong Way Riegels"?

         On New Year's Day, 1929, Georgia Tech played UCLA in the Rose Bowl. In that game a young man named Roy Riegels recovered a fumble for UCLA. Picking up the loose ball, he lost his direction and ran sixty-five yards toward the wrong goal line. One of his teammates, Benny Lom, ran him down and tackled him just before he scored for the opposing team. Several plays later, the Bruins had to punt. Tech blocked the kick and scored a safety.

         Wrong Way Riegels, you ever felt like that? You have worked hard, you have practiced hard, you have planned carefully, and suddenly everything unravels in front of you. An illness in the family, an unexpected bill, a life-shattering announcement suddenly throw all your plans and preparations into a blender and leave you feeling completely lost. You are running the wrong way and everyone knows it but you. How can we establish goals that will survive even when we start running the wrong way.

         The passage we just read is an account of two people who are pursuing goals with all their energy, but the goals are at opposite ends of the field.

         First, we meet a woman who really does not have a lot going for her. In a very similar account in Luke, she is called a woman who had lived a life of sin, probably a prostitute. One of the tools of her trade was her perfume, it was expensive, Judas suggests it was valued at a years wages! That is expensive perfume. This woman came into the house where Jesus was eating during dinner and broke the bottle her perfume was in and anointed Jesus with it. Imagine the scene. Imagine the overpowering fragrance that must have filled the room. Immediately, some of the disciples tried to bring some order to the situation. They began to scold her, they tried to make her leave, she must have felt like Wrong Way Riegels. But then Jesus spoke and said, “leave her alone, she is anointing me for my death, this is a wonderful thing that will never be forgotten.

         Can you imagine the welcome she must have felt? Here she had poured out her most valuable possession, had been strongly reprimanded for such an emotional act, then had been accepted and commended by Jesus himself.

         Her act was selfless, it was passionate, it was focused on Jesus alone and Jesus accepted it and commended it. Her entire life took a new direction that day.

         However, in the group was another person. This was one of the disciples. He had been chosen by Jesus as one of the 12. He was trusted and served as the treasurer. He had been on missions going out preaching the good news, healing the sick, freeing the demon possessed. If this woman was part of the out-crowd, he was definitely part of the in-crowd.

         Judas had joined up with Jesus because he saw in Jesus a glimmer, no, a clear vision, of hope. The Jews lived under the hobnailed boot of the Roman Army. If one Jew stepped out of line, many Jews were killed for the crime. Roman rule was just as vicious as Sadam Hussein’s rule. Entire villages would be destroyed because of local demonstrations. Remember Herod’s actions when he feared the birth of a new king, killing babies to secure his position. Roman taxes were unbearable, Roman soldiers were everywhere, and Roman practices had even entered the temple.

         In Jesus, Judas saw the Messiah, the Christ, the Annointed One who would free the Jews. But he was not taking advantage of his opportunities. Judas had but one goal in mind, he wanted to see his people set free. Jesus could easily make that dream a reality, but he would not. And now, after watching thousands of dollars worth of perfume wasted on Jesus, and hearing him commend the trollop who did it, Judas could take no more. If Jesus would not make the move on his own, he would force the Master’s hand. And so he made the fateful trip to the Priests and there he agreed to sell Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver, the cost of a slave.

         Judas goals may have been honorable. He may have wanted freedom for his people. But they were his goals, not God’s. Once before Jesus had called Peter back to God’s goals rather than his own when he said, ”You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." He was running toward the goal, but he was running the wrong way.

         I wonder, how often do we do the same thing Judas did? We have some good ideas. We see problems that need to be fixed. And so we go running off to implement our ideas and fix the problem. Recently someone asked me how their church could go about getting rid of the pastor and a deacon who were causing problems. The Goal was good, unity in the church, but the plans were not created out of passion for God and his work. The plans were not God’s plans.

         When we set out follow God and to establish godly goals, we must recognize that others will see out attempts as foolish. Just as the disciples thought the woman was out of her mind, so when we pursue God’s goals others will think we are out of our mind. Hear the word of the Lord from Isaiah 55:8 and 9:

    "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

        neither are your ways my ways,"

    "As the heavens are higher than the earth,

        so are my ways higher than your ways

        and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

           In other words, we are not be able to figure out God’s way by reason or logic. In fact, if our plans make sense to the world, then they are probably our plans and not God’s. This woman’s gift of the ointment was foolish by any standard you could find. Yet Jesus commended her for her extravagant, loving action.

         What are the first goals in your life? When I speak with international students, their goals are to learn English so they can be successful in business and make a lot of money. Many others have told me that their goal is to set aside enough resources so they can retire at an early age and not have to worry about expenses. Recently, someone told me their goal was to make a difference in the world. As far as the world is concerned these are good goals. They make sense and have some possibility of being met. But are they godly goals? For the person who has committed her life to following Jesus, these goals are misplaced. For the believer, the first goal must be to become a mature disciple of Jesus Christ. As Christians our goal is to glorify God. As Christians our goal is to be witnesses for Jesus and to introduce others to Jesus. And often career and personal goals run counter to these.

         Ten years ago, Rick and Anita Hill were successful pastors in New England. The church they were serving was growing and changing into what God wanted it to be. Suddenly, Rick and Anita resigned and with their elementary school children, moved to Russia, a country that had just abandoned Communism, a country that spoke a language he did not know, a country that had been void of a protestant Christian witness for 70 years, and began planting churches in that cold barren land.

         Did it make sense? Was it logical? No, but the joy of the Lord that Rick communicates testifies to the rightness of their decision. They went not because it was good for their careers, but because they longed to be disciples of Jesus and follow Him wherever he led.

         A number of years ago a very good friend was offered a promotion in a very prestigious company. Had he taken the promotion he would have eventually been a vice-president. However, he was a part of church where he was growing, where he was impacting the lives of young people and where he was providing leadership that was bringing people to Jesus. And so, after considering the offer, he turned it down because his goal was to be a mature disciple of Jesus Christ. Was it foolish, his colleagues would tell you it was, however, he and those who have come to faith through his witness would tell you it was the best decision he could have made.

         How do we know God’s plans? Let me suggest an acrostic that may help:

G –   Get God’s input. From the Bible, from Christian friends, and from prayer.

O –   Own the goals. Make them your own. Keep them before your eyes. Let these goals influence your decisions. Review them. Remind yourself that your goal is to be a mature disciple.

A –    Apply your goals. Make plans that will bring the goal closer. Find a bible study that will help you become a disciple. Memorize scripture passages that will call you back to your goals.

L –    Live your goals. Keep working let being a disciple become a way of life for you. Share your goals with a friend, become accountable for your decisions in a trusted relationship.

S –    Seek God’s Input again. The process never ends. The influence of our world is so strong that our goals can easily become corrupted just as Judas’ goals became corrupted.

         When God’s plans run counter to your plans, what direction do you run?

APPLICATION: We often work out our plans really carefully. We scratch and scrimp and save and carefully. But God’s plans for us are very different.

Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly called it the "Play of the Year." A local newspaper called it "the touchdown heard around the world." Sports shows everywhere told the story.

         Jake Porter, 17, a member of the Northwest High football team in McDermott, Ohio, was born with chromosomal fragile X syndrome, a common cause of mental retardation. He couldn't read. He could barely write his name. But he loved football, and he faithfully attended every practice.

         Northwest coach Dave Frantz wanted to do something special for Jake. So before a game against Waverly High in the fall of 2002, Frantz called his friend Derek Dewitt, the head coach at Waverly. He suggested that both teams allow Jake to run one play at the end of the game, assuming the game wasn't on the line. Jake would get the ball and take a knee, and the game would end.

         So, with Waverly leading 42-0 and five seconds left in the game, Frantz called a timeout. Jake trotted out to the huddle, and the two coaches met at midfield. Sports Illustrated's Reilly picks up the story:

         Fans could see there was a disagreement. Dewitt was shaking his head and waving his arms.

         After a ref stepped in, play resumed and Jake got the ball. He started to genuflect, as he'd practiced all week. But his teammates stopped him and told him to run, but Jake started going in the wrong direction. The back judge rerouted him toward the line of scrimmage.

         Suddenly, the Waverly defense parted like peasants for the king and urged him to go on his grinning sprint to the end zone. Imagine having 21 teammates on the field. In the stands mothers cried and fathers roared. Players on both sidelines held their helmets to the sky and whooped.

         Apparently when the coaches met before the big play, Frantz had reminded Dewitt of the plan, that Jake would simply take a knee. But Dewitt wasn't satisfied. He said, "No, I want him to score." Frantz objected, but Dewitt insisted.

         Dewitt called his defense over and said, "They're going to give the ball to number 45. Do not touch him! Open up a hole and let him score! Understand?"

         Jake had the run of his life, scoring the touchdown heard round the world, on the Play of the Year. All because of Dewitt's unselfish decision: "I want him to score."

         Friends, I want you to hear the word of the Lord: “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Our plans, those which are carefully prepared and practiced without God’s input will be no more significant than Jake would have been if he had simply put down his knee. He would have enjoyed being the game, his family would have congratulated him. But no one else would have even notices. However, if we will open our hearts to the leading of the Holy Spirit and set aside our plans for His, we, too, will score a touchdown heard ‘round the world. We may even start in the wrong direction, but if we will follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he will turn us around and he will open doors for us that will blow us away.

         Whose goals are you pursuing? Whose plans are you implementing? Where are you looking for guidance? If you feel like Wrong Way Riegels, then I invite you to come to Jesus today. No matter how badly you may think you have messed things up, God has a plan. Jesus died to save us from our sins. No matter what you have done, no matter how far you have run the wrong direction, He will turn you around if you let him. Open the door of your heart to him today and find discover the wonderful truth that God knows the plans he has for you, plans to give you a future and a hope.