Three Churches of the EndTime: The Mary Church

The Mary’s Church of the End Time
In our last article, we started to discuss the Three Churches of the End Time, showing the unique relationships Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus had with Christ and how each of them represents one of the Churches of the end time. Our focus then, was the ‘church’ of Martha. Now, we will direct our attention to the ‘Mary’ church.

Who was Mary?
“And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, there came a woman having an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard very precious; and she broke the flask, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?” [Mark 14:3-4 KJ2000]

Luke 7:44  And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, See this woman? I entered into your house, you gave me no water for my feet: but she has washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
Luke 7:45  You gave me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in has not ceased to kiss my feet.
Luke 7:46  My head with oil you did not anoint: but this woman has anointed my feet with ointment.
Luke 7:47  Therefore I say unto you, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.
Luke 7:48  And he said unto her, Your sins are forgiven.
Luke 7:49  And they that sat to eat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgives sins also?
Luke 7:50  And he said to the woman, Your faith has saved you; go in peace.
(It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) [John 11:2]

Mary was a believer who accepted Christ as her Saviour. She loved much because she knew the value of forgiveness!

She Loved Much Because She Was Forgiven Much….

Therefore I say unto you, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” [Luke 7:47]

Those that are of the ‘Mary’ Church  are the ones who love to spend time  listening to the Word. They are distinct from the ‘Marthas’ in that they would go the extra mile. They would prove their love by giving expensively! They give what they have because they know the value of the Giver. They know how to pray and move God.

John 11:32  Then when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
John 11:33  When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping who came with her, he groaned in his spirit, and was troubled,
John 11:34  And said, Where have you laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
John 11:35  Jesus wept.
What Martha is not able to achieve in the place of prayer, give it to Mary, she will get Christ’s attention. Why? Because Mary is a woman given to worship!

“Then when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” [John 11:32]

Worship Lifestyle
She fell down at His feet. That was worship!  Contrary to popular belief, worship is not the tempo of music or the songs people sing in a Church Service; it is the act of humility we show or display from the heart in total surrender before God.

“And the man bowed down his head, and worshiped the LORD.” [Genesis 24:26]

“And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped.” [Exodus 34:8]

“Then Job arose, and tore his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshiped,” [Job 1:20]

“And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God. And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshiped the LORD, and the king.” [1 Chronicles 29:20]

“And when they came into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.” [Matthew 2:11 Emphasis mine]

“And the four and twenty elders, who sat before God on their thrones, fell upon their faces, and worshiped God,” [Revelation 11:16 Emphasis mine]

“And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand, who were redeemed from the earth.” [Revelation 14:3]

“And the four and twenty elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.” [Revelation  19:4]

Mary Knows The Truth
Those of the ‘Mary’ Church know their Bibles. They are excellent at listening and pursuing God through His Word.

Look at the account again, she said, “…. Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” [John 11:32]

This scripture shows that those who belong to the ‘Mary’ church know a few things about the Presence of Christ. They know there is life and joy in His Presence as opposed to death and sorrow.

Love of a Mother…. Mary Knows The Truth….

“You will show me the path of life: in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.” [Psalm 16:11]

“The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.” [Psalm 97:5]

Those of the ‘Mary’ church make the discipleship grade. So, who is a disciple? Someone who has chosen to follow Christ. That is where you will always find a ‘Mary’ type.

The ‘Mary’ type has an array of good qualities; but they lack one thing that disqualifies them from manifesting the glory of God. They do not  believe that Man can attain God’s perfection – complete in growth, mental and moral character etc. We see this in the case of the rich young man who came to seek Christ, just like Mary did.

Matthew 19:16  And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
Matthew 19:17  And he said unto him, Why do you call me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if you will enter into life, keep the commandments.
Matthew 19:18  He said unto him, Which? Jesus said, You shall do no murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,
Matthew 19:19  Honor your father and your mother: and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 19:20  The young man said unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
Matthew 19:21  Jesus said unto him, If you will be perfect, go and sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Matthew 19:22  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

Sufferings of Christ?
Sadly, ‘Marys’ cannot go all the way with Christ. They cannot understand the reasoning behind the sufferings of Christ. Why would Christ want to go through all that trouble of pain and agony to redeem man and enter His glory (1 Peter 1:11 KJ2000).

They would rather stay at a distance. They can give their time, money and resources, but not the total surrender of their lives. They are afraid of death to self.

This was the plight of Jonathan, the son of King Saul. He was willing to spend his time and resources for David, but not go on and suffer with him. He knew the truth, the sufferings – the life of a wanderer, loss of dignity, loss of popularity, the shame, the mockery and rejection that would follow – he knew the truth.

“And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.” [1 Samuel 24:20]

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”[Philippians 3:10]

Marys are familiar with this Scripture; they know that Christ is the resurrection and the life part, but they cannot comprehend the “fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” part. When confronted at the entrance to a life sold out in the holy of holies, Marys would prefer to either stay behind the veil or turn back altogether.

Veronica saw the Sufferings of Christ

The Old Testament temple is divided into three sections; the outer court, the holy place and the holy of holies. The outer court is where the Marthas prefers to do their stuff. Marys understands God better than that and go beyond, into the holy place, but when confronted with death to a self-life, they shrink back! This is the plight of the believers who love God; they cannot give up some things in their lives like the rich young man.

God Knows….
It is very easy to qualify Marys as great men and women of God;  a people who love the Lord. We may approve of their spirituality, and they ARE spiritual, but God sees differently and He will prove them. This is what God told Samuel:

“And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD’S anointed is before him. But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” [1 Samuel 16:6-7]

Judges 7:4  And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will test them for you there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto you, This one shall go with you, the same shall go with you; and of whomsoever I say unto you, This one shall not go with you, the same shall not go.

Judges 7:5  So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, him shall you set by himself; likewise every one that bows down upon his knees to drink.

Judges 7:6  And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

Other examples include Nicodemus – see John 3:1, 4, 9; 7:50; 19:39.

The despair and inability to become fully yielded to Christ is the sole reason Marys will not manifest the glory of God.”

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” [John 12:24]

Next Article in the Series: Lazarus’s Church of the End Time.