What Will You Be Remembered by?
Matthew 26:6-13
* In 1915, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields," Moina Michael wrote these words;
“We cherish too, the Poppy red, That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies, That blood of heroes never dies.”
* This is what Memorial Day is all about. We pay tribute, respect, and honor to those soldiers who gave their lives so that we can be free. Never forget, ‘freedom is never free.’ Someone, somewhere, at sometime bought our freedom. And the price for freedom is innocent blood. We remember and honor our heroes for their sacrifice to buy our civil freedom.
* In this same way, we need to never forget that it was the innocent blood of the ‘Carpenter of Nazareth’ and the Son of God who purchased our spiritual freedom. We were dead in sin, without hope of heaven because God won’t allow sin in His heaven, when Jesus shed His innocent blood for us. It is only in the response to His call that we can receive grace & be free. Jesus.
* After receiving Jesus in a personal way, we are called to live a life that honors Him. Our desire becomes that people remember us by our love for Him. Today we see a lady who shows us exactly how to do this.
* This lady was Mary, the sister of Lazarus. She was the sister of Lazarus’ whose famous words, “Lord, if you had only been here, my brother would have not died” have been spoken many times. These words were like a knife to the heart of Jesus, yet Jesus saw through Mary’s hurt (losing her brother) to her need (grow in her faith). In our passage we see Mary’s devotion to the Lord, which was already strong, had been multiplied when she Jesus gave her back her brother. Now, she was totally devoted to Him and wanted her life to be known or remembered by her devotion. Jesus said that she would be remembered by this selfless act of devotion.
* It has been said that we write our funeral message by the life we live. If that is the case, please consider what message are you leaving? Exactly, what is it that people will remember you for? Those who died on the field of battle are remembered for their heroism and sacrifice. Mary is remembered for the lavish gift she gave to & the complete devotion she expressed for Jesus.
* From our text, let’s categorize 4 possibilities for us to be remembered.
1. By my selfless approach – We clearly read that she ‘approached’ Jesus, but why is this selfless? I submit that a woman in that day, breaking into a male meal would take courage. Yet, we find Mary in the room risking what we may not ever understand because she wanted to honor Jesus for all that He had done for her and her family. She was unashamed to let everyone know of her devotion to Jesus. I dare say that she wanted the men around to table to know that HE was her Lord.
What will you be remembered by – Pg 2
* Selflessness is uncommon in the 21st century. It saddens me to say, but even within the body of Christ in America this attribute remains at a premium. The American way seems to be ‘get all you can while you can and have your way every day.’ Candidly, being selfish is vogue. Like so many things, the ways of this world are in direct opposition to the ways of our Lord. Mary gives us a crystal clear view of how to come to Jesus with complete abandon, totally selfless, and wholly devoted. To come in this manner is to make it all about Him. I submit that too often we are so consumed with self that we have difficulty being consumed with the Savior. Additionally, when we get consumed with the Savior, we take on His passions, which are to focus on others, those who are yet to come.
* I read this story about an old man showed up at the back door of the house we were renting. Opening the door a few cautious inches, we saw his eyes were glassy and his furrowed face glistened with silver stubble. He clutched a wicker basket holding a few unappealing vegetables. He bid us good morning and offered his produce for sale. We were uneasy enough that we made a quick purchase to alleviate both our pity and our fear. To our chagrin, he returned the next week, introducing himself as Mr. Roth, the man who lived in the shack down the road. As our fears subsided, we got close enough to realize it wasn't alcohol but cataracts that marbleized his eyes. On subsequent visits, he would shuffle in, wearing two mismatched right shoes, and pull out a harmonica. With glazed eyes set on a future glory, he'd puff out old gospel tunes between conversation about vegetables and religion. On one visit, he exclaimed, "The Lord is so good! I came out of my shack this morning and found a bag full of shoes and clothing on my porch". That's wonderful, Mr. Roth!" we said. "We're happy for you." "You know what's even more wonderful?" he asked. "Just yesterday I met some people that could use them.
* I wonder how many here do people think of us and/or will remember us as selfless. Everything Jesus did demonstrated selflessness and more. Mary demonstrated selflessness and more. As Children of our Lord Jesus, we are to live like He lived. “As the Father sent me, so send I you” are the words our Jesus. Also, we are called to think more highly of others than ourselves. Instead of offering the multitude of ways we could and should be selfless, consider this question: Were you to die this minute would people remember your life as selfless or selfish?
2. By my sacrificial actions – Sacrifice means to do without, give up, forgo, let go, & even, surrender. And on the whole, today we are not about doing without, but ‘doing with,’ not about letting go but grabbing hold, not about surrender but about self. Make no mistake, sacrifice is written on the pages of Bible and woven into the life of the believer & it’s not optional.
What will you be remembered by – Pg 3
* Let’s take our cue from Mary. She came to the dinner (a selfless act) and she brought some oil to honor Jesus. It was sign of respect & hospitality to anoint a guest, but Mary went beyond or better said, she did what was expected and ‘then some.” We would do well to learn the principle of “then some” because in this principle lies the secret of sacrifice. It was the principle that Jesus was teaching in the Sermon on the Mount when He said, “someone needs you to do one mile, go the second mile.” In other words, ‘do what is required and then some.’ Mary visualizes this truth.
* Mary was going to honor Jesus and she didn’t bring the cheapest rather she brought a highly expensive bottle of perfume and USED IT ALL!! Do you realize what this “very expensive” bottle of perfume (valued at 300 denari) was worth? In today’s terms, it is worth an annual compensation for a person who makes over $7 an hour. Meditate on that thought, “a year’s pay.” She brought it, sparing no effort, and it made such an impact that Jesus said she would be remembered for this. Yes, she could have sold it. Yes, she could have either kept the money or donated it. However, she chose to willingly and devotedly to give it to her Lord.
* What is your bottle of perfume? You know, what is it that means more to you than life itself? Are you hanging on to it or letting it go? Will you be remembered as one who hoards or one who give?
* Please never forget sacrifice is never forgotten. When Lincoln stood at Gettysburg delivering what is arguable the “greatest speech in American History” he alluded to this truth when he says, “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but we can never forget what they did here.” Our Lord called us to ‘take up our cross.’ May this be our legacy.
3. By my sinful attitudes – Let’s return to this story. The men are eating; Mary comes in with an extravagant bottle of perfume and begins to anoint His head and feet, and shock of all shocks, she uses the entire jar of oil in the process. Some around the table were obviously Baptist as their need to ‘conserve and control’ rose with “indignation” announcing that she was being ‘wasteful.’ Every time I read this passage it causes me to wonder; since Kingdom principles seem opposite of Worldly philosophies, do you suppose that what we call waste God call ‘His,’ what the world calls right He call wrong, and what we say is ‘enough’ He says, “You’re just getting started.” The disciples (led by Judas) also attempted to put a righteous ‘spin’ on their objections. How many times have we seen church members want to object to some ministry spending only to defend their objections with some project which pulls at heart strings. You see, Judas & the others had heard the teachings of Jesus about taking care of the poor, so they reached back to this issue to mask their greed & selfishness. These two attributes make ugly for the wear.
What will you be remembered by – Pg 4
* Candidly, the disciples didn’t see the need to spend this kind of money on Jesus. They saw this act of devotion as a waste. Even today, we recognize who was leading them to be remembered like this, it was Judas. Our sinful attitudes can be the result of who we are following or even ‘hanging out’ with. Proverbs 22:24-25 says, “Don't make friends with an angry man, and don't be a companion of a hot-tempered man, 25 or you will learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.” We should never forget that one of the things we are remembered by is “the company we keep.” The reason for this is; ‘The birds of a feather flock together.’ Like it or not, we tend to take on the attitudes, actions, and even the attributes of the ones we run with. What do people remember you & your friend for?
4. By my servant attributes – I would be served well to check my focus in life & ask, “Do people see me as a servant of God?” That is, someone who was at His beck and call. It was pointed out to me that 3 times we see this Mary at the feet of Jesus. Yes there is a time for strength, but that only comes after a time of submission. For it is only in our weakness, that He is made strong. Also, it is only in our submission to Him that we can be saved. People don’t care for this word, but it is a Bible word. The jailer asked Paul, “What must I do to be saved?” The answer was simply, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” And the jailer humbled himself, asked Jesus to save him, and became a different person.
* Jesus said, “If anyone wants to come after me, he must take up his cross, deny himself, and follow me.” This is not a passive command, a popular concept, or a ‘possible’ request. This is what HE demands. And He can demand it because He gave His life for it. Following Jesus is about forsaking all else and having no other God. In the process, we become His servants who are known by our likeness to Him. He gave His all so that we can have it all and His demand is to show Him to others by our lives.
* During World War II there was a young boy in a small town who had to go to the drugstore for his mother. As he arrived at the drugstore, he saw a poster on the front window that made a great impression upon him. It was the picture of an American soldier dressed in full battle uniform lying flat on his face, dead in the sands of a South Pacific island. He was lying there with the ocean cradling his body, and at the bottom of the poster was this question: "What have you done for your country today that's worth this soldier dying yesterday?" Let's change that scene and go outside the city of Jerusalem to a hill called Calvary and ask you to look on a cross and see the Son of God, the Savior, dying for your sins and the sins of the world. Let me ask you the question: "What have you done for Christ today that's worth what He gave for you on Calvary?" (Pictures of soldier & Christ)
