Once there were three old sisters who lived together. One sister got up to go to bed and half way up the stairs she stopped and asked, "Was I going up or was I coming down?"
One sister replied with a hint of aggravation, "You were going up to bed."
A second sister headed into the kitchen to make herself a sandwich. Once in the kitchen she hollered back to her sister who was still down stairs, "What did I come in here for?"
The sister responded again but this time a little more annoyed than the last, "You went in to make yourself a sandwich!”
"I’m so glad I am not as forgetful as the both of you are," she said as she knocked on the wood of the end table.
Then she got up, walked over to the door, and said "Who is it?"
Many times we forget to remember don’t we?
In 3 of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and John we find a special Memorial Day moment. It involves a lady by the name of Mary who came to pay a special tribute to the Lord. Her adoration touched Jesus.
Though the disciples underestimated and under-appreciated the act of this woman, Jesus was stirred by her adoration. So touched was our Lord, by her act, that He says in verse 9, “Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.” He declared she will be remembered where-ever the gospel is preached.
I have always been captivated with this story and impressed with the lessons it teaches. The words upon which we want to center our thoughts, however, are in verse 8, "She hath done what she could" or, as the words mean, "She has done what lay in her power."
This word of commendation from our Lord seems
to be the center around which all the teaching of this incident revolves.
I want us to consider the privilege of Christian service and its value in God’s estimate.
I. The Meaning of Christian Service
What do we mean when we, as believers, talk about serving the Lord? Sometimes we get a very limited conception of what really constitutes Christian service.
We often think it means being a preacher, a Sunday School teacher, an Awana worker, and so on; but does Christian service only consist of these?
No! We are all saved to serve (Ephesians 2:10). So our definition of Christian service, against the background of this story, is that Christian service is doing things for Jesus, compare again verses 6 and 8, and notice in verse 6 the words "on Me" and in verse 8 the word "done." There are boundless opportunities open to us all to serve the Lord.
I believe this passage teaches us that anything that done or directed towards Him under the impulse of simple love to Him is Christian service.
The qualifying word in our definition of Christian service is
doing it for Jesus, that is, out of love for Him and in order to bring glory to Him.
Think about Him in what you do and you will be doing a Christian service. Do anything, no matter what, because you love Him, and it will be lifted up into high regions, and become transfigured into “a good work.”
All things are sanctified when they are done for Him.
The opposite is also true. Nothing which is not done out of love for Him deserves the title of “a good work.”
May we learn to do everything as unto the Lord because it is what hallows the action and makes it a Christian service.
All of us can serve when we do what we do as to the Lord.
I Corinthians 10:31
Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
II. The Measure of Christian Service
How much are we to do for Him? All our Lord expects is that
we do what lies in our power. This is the meaning of our Lord’s word in verse 8, "She hath done what she could," no more, no less.
What are you doing for Jesus? What is the measure of your service? Are you doing "what you can" and serving Him to the limit of your power?
A little man approached a big man and said, "If I was as big, as strong, and tall as you I would go out there and fight one of those big bears in the woods.
"Well, said the tall man, "there is a bunch a little bears out there in those woods." Are you doing what you can?
Quit looking to see what everyone else is doing and just start doing what you can do.
YOUR BEST IS GOOD ENOUGH NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT IS. God is not going to judge your service by what others have done, but He will judge your service as to whether you have done all you could do.
It does not take a whole lot for God to be satisfied in our service but it does take our best. God does not want what you CANNOT DO but what you CAN DO.
ANYTHING LESS THAN YOUR BEST IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT IS.
“She hath done what she could” - that is generally read as if it were an excuse. So it is, or at least it is a vindication of the Mary’s expression of love and devotion. While it could be viewed as an apology, it express the measure of service He demands.
“She hath done what she could.”
The question is not how much you have done, but could you have done more?
At the judgment seat there are only two groups. Those who did not do what they could, and those who did what they could.
A. True Christian service - doing what you can do will involves a sacrifice.
This ointment amounted to her life’s savings. This was a gift of great sacrifice.
In India, one morning, a missionary saw a woman walk toward the river. At her side was a beautiful and healthy boy. In her arms was a sick child. That evening that mother returned, but without her handsome, healthy son. In a flash the missionary realized what the woman had done. She had cast her strong son to the crocodiles to appease her god. "Why," asked the missionary, "did you give your god your beautiful boy? Why didn’t you give him your son that’s dying?" "Because," she answered, "we give our best to our gods." Do you give your best to God?
Our service for Christ is easily assessed by the sacrifices we are willing to make.
B. True Christian service - doing what you can do will bring criticism (4).
The criticism was not about the act itself, since it was a common practice to anoint a guest.
However, the disciples felt a cheaper oil should have been used for the anointing, and the more expensive oil should have been sold, and the money given to the poor.
There will always be someone who will question any true sacrifice you make for the Lord.
HOWEVER, what really matters about our life is what Jesus thinks and not what others think!
If you please Jesus it does not matter who you displease. If you displease Jesus, it does not matter who you please!
III. The Motive of Christian Service
What was Mary’s motive? Why did she worship the Lord in this
way and express her appreciation of Him in such loving service?
Did she do it to get prominence, to be seen of others, to gain the Lord’s praise?
No, she did it simply out of love for Him.
After being away on business, Tim thought it would be nice to bring his wife a little gift. "How about some perfume?" he asked the cosmetics clerk. She showed him a bottle costing $50. "That’s a bit much," said Tim. So the clerk presented him with a smaller bottle for $30.00. "That’s still quite a bit," Tim complained. Growing annoyed, the clerk brought out a tiny $15.00 bottle. "What I mean," said Tim, "is I’d like to see something really cheap." The clerk handed him a mirror. What is your love for Christ like?
What should be our motive for preaching, for holding office in the Church, for taking a Sunday School class, for anything we do in the public eye, or for that matter, behind the scenes?
What Mary did reveals a heart that is filled, moved, and
driven with nothing but a love for her Master
I don’t think we have to wonder about Mary’s feelings toward the Lord Jesus. Her act is graciously recorded to personally reveal her heart of love.
A. Her act was expressive.
Without hesitation or reservation she expressed her love.
B. Her act was exclusive
She was solely and completely occupied with Jesus.
C. Her act was extravagant
It was an extravagant and foolish act in the eyes of those who watched; however, love does extravagant things. In all I think and say and do,
I long, O God, to honor You;
But may my highest motive be
To love the Christ who died for me. The focus of our eyes reveals the desire of our hearts.
During the week before Jesus was crucified, the chief priests and scribes were looking for any excuse to arrest and kill Him (Mark 14:1). Judas was looking for a convenient way to betray Jesus (v.11). Mary of Bethany was looking for a way to show her love to the Lord. They all found the opportunities they were seeking.
Like Mary, may we have hearts that are always looking for opportunities to say to our Savior, "I love You."
We can love Jesus too little, but we can never love Him too much.
IV. The Memorial of Christian Service
In verse 9 we are told a very wonderful thing. Our Lord
declared that Mary’s loving act would never be forgotten; it would abide.
Mary’s simple act of service, done for Jesus’ sake, would never be lost. Heaven and earth would pass away, but the record of what Mary had done, the pleasure it brought to the Lord, and the blessing that it would bring to millions of others, would never pass
away.
This tells us that every little act done out of love for the Lord Jesus abides for ever.
Mary of Bethany probably never guessed that she would be remembered for an act initially criticized as wasteful and inappropriate. After she poured a container of very expensive ointment on Jesus, the Lord silenced the outcry against her by saying, "Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her," (Mk. 14:9).
In Yorkshire, England during the early 1800’s two sons were born to a family named Taylor. The older one set out to make a name for himself by entering Parliament and gaining public prestige. The younger son chose to give his life to Christ. With commitment to Christ, Hudson Taylor turned his face toward China and obscurity. As a result, he is known and honored on every continent as a faithful missionary and the founder of the China Inland Mission. For the other son, however, there is no lasting monument. He became known as simply as the “brother of Hudson Taylor.”
Man’s hall of fame is only good
As long as time shall be;
But keep in mind God’s hall of fame
Is for eternity.
Conclusion
Mary was and is remembered for what she did
for Christ! As I consider this text, I have to ask myself: How will I be remembered? We will either be remembered for the good we’ve done or the
bad. Some will not be remembered at all because they did nothing at all!
"She hath done what she could." She could do no more than what she did.
Could the Lord make this statement of me or you?
