Verses 1 and 2 constructs a tapestry of sorts to draw the reader into the events that were taking place in the backdrop of setting of the little house in Bethany. For if ancient Jews had hanging in their kitchens calendars, then highlighted in red would be the day of Passover. Passover to the ancient Jews is what Thanksgiving is to patriotic Americans. It was a day of celebration; a week of festivities; where lanterns were lit; torches were burned; and horns bled; and over 250,000 lambs were slain, some 2 million persons converged upon the city of Jerusalem during this time. People as far 90 day journeys, back on their calendars planning to attend some of the festivities surrounding the Passover. It was a moment where the people reflected upon God’s divine intervention in human history; more specifically—it was a moment when the ancient Jews retold the story of God emancipating His people out of the bondage of Egypt. The night when the death angel lurked the streets and crossed over homes whose portals had been painted by the blood of the lamb. How they ate in haste, making ready to make their pilgrimage out of Egypt across the desert to the new promise land. How when they were at Bael-Zephon (no way out), God breathed and exhaled and the waters divided. Stacked up like a wall, historians have written that the children of Israel crossed over on dry ground. Can you only imagine the excitement that must have taken place while they re-told the events of God in the life of their families?
Not everybody was happy. Verse 2 tells us that there were officials and powers that be—who were concocting a plan on how they could arrest, accost, and kill Jesus. This would have been a good time. But the Galileans were in town and they didn’t want to incite a riot. But when the right time comes to arrest this Jesus, they say, we will get Him. Because since this Jesus has come on the scene He’s been causing a whole lot of trouble. He’s been performing miracles…etc.
‘At the right time, we’re going to get Him and lynch Him as fast as we can.’
And now a few miles southeast of Jerusalem in a little hut, house, maybe a hamlet in Bethany—where 15 men and 2 women were invited to come to a meeting. They’ve been invited to the house of Simon the Leper, whose nickname was Scaly.
And I can only imagine how they were rehashing stories of how he used to be before he met Jesus. For no decent people would sit at the table with a man like Simon the Leper. Nobody would go sit at the house of a leper—because He had been ostracized by the community. Of course He is no longer a leper; he’s just still identified by his condition.
• It is terrible and tragic that even after your healing you can still be identified by your previous condition. But how God works what is terrible and tragic to some can be a testimony and talk point for others—but that’s another message.
Simon the leper had been castigated; and he may have been the man that Jesus met early on who He hid. But at the table of conversation was not only Scaly but another man by the name of Lazarus. And they were exchanging stories of how they were before Christ dramatically broke in on their life.
I can only imagine how the conversation at the table must have been going. Lazarus must have said to Simon, ‘Man, thank you for allowing me to come to your house. I can’t think of any other place I would rather be—but to be here with you. And since I’m here Scaly I want to ask you a question, tell me—how was life before you met Christ?’ Simon the Leper must have said, ‘Let me tell you, nobody would talk to me. In fact, my life was on the edge. I have no relationships or reputation with other people. I only hung around with other people who were just like me. And then one day I heard that this Wonder Worker was coming through town and that He worked the night shift and that He made house calls—and all I know is that He spoke to me and my skin began to transform like the skin into a newborn baby….You’ve asked me about MY dramatic encounter, Lazarus, what about you? How did it feel being dead, sleeping in the grave? How did that feel.’
Lazarus said, ‘Let me tell you, I was dying and at the point of death. I wanted my friend Jesus to come and He never arrived. And all I remember was them wrapping my hands and feet, preparing me for the customary burial. And there I was in a no man’s land, sitting down talking with the patriarchs who had gone on before—all I remember was Him calling my name, ‘Lazarus’. Some people tell my story and say He said, ‘Lazarus, Lazarus, Lazarus.’ But He only said it one time. Because when He called me, if He would have kept calling I’m sure some other folk would have gotten up. He just called me one time and told death, ‘Loose Him and let Him go.’
They exchanged stories together. The disciples sat there at this u-shaped table. Martha was serving as Martha does. Conspicuously absent was her sister Mary, as usual. She only made 2 cameo appearances prior to this one. One is when Jesus visits the house of Mary and she sits at his feet; and then again in John chapter 11 when she rushes to Jesus and says, ‘Jesus, please come and save my brother.’ And here in this text Mary does something out of the ordinary.
• Because if you want to get what you’ve never had, you have to do something that you’ve never done.
• God works at His best when we are bold enough to step outside of the box of human conformity.
• If you do what you’ve always done you will get what you’ve always gotten.
• Staying in the box of your conformity and marginalized mindset doesn’t impress a God Who already declared that He’s more than enough.
Thesis: The extravagance of God’s glory is connected to the recklessness & liberality of my giving.
Probing Question: Preacher—how can I live a life that pleases God through my life—where God is honored and pleased to take what I have to bring Him glory?
I. LEARN HOW TO MODEL THE COST OF MARY’S GIFT
Mark 14:3, "And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head."
Mary is mentioned three times in scripture and each time she is at Jesus’ feet.
1. LISTENING. Luke 10:39 says, "sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word"
2. SORROWING. John 11:32, "when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, also fell down at His feet."
3. WORSHIPING. John 12:3
At His feet she found blessing; she brought her burdens, and she gave at His feet her best
A. LOOK AT WHAT MARY GAVE. VERSE 3
"Came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head."
Matthew called it "very costly fragrant oil"
"alabaster flask" made of marble and very expensive itself; breaking it was a sign that all was to be used. Custom in the East was that if a glass was used by a distinguished guest, it was broken so that it would never again be touched by the hand of any lesser person. She was giving Christ her best and her all.
"very costly oil of spikenard" perfume of pure nard; it was imported from India.
v.5 teaches it was worth "more than 300 denarii" almost a year’s salary in the first century. For example, it was estimated that the 5,000 men, plus women and children, could have been fed with 2/3 of this amount. (Mark 6:37 200 denarii)
Mary had a lavish heart and hand
- not cautious in giving, but reckless
Question: When is the last time YOUR giving could be deemed as reckless?
• It is not the mentioned value of our gifts which He regards, but the love of the heart which gives them."
• A mite and a million have no moral value except that which the donor’s motive supplies.
• Love is not concerned to see how little it can decently give. There is a recklessness in love which refuses to count the cost.
This woman acted on impulse of love because she knew in her heart of hearts that if she did not do it then, she would never do it at all.
Done with reckless extravagance and out of a heart of love; an impulse of the moment. An adoring testimony of love and honor. She is being absolutely controlled by adoration for her Lord; she lost all sense of restraint and economy.
The true worshiper and steward gives Jesus whatever he has, knowing it is trifling compared to what has been received from Him. She lost herself in Him and as a result was not even conscious of others or her surroundings.
B. Look at WHY MARY GAVE. Verse 3
Matthew and Mark mention anointing the head; John adds His feet.
Head speaks of honor
Feet speaks of humility
Passover was coming in 6 days
Lazarus had been raised from the dead; her brother Simon and their friend healed
Mary’s heart of gratitude caused her to give
Remember Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to the Word. Mary’s attentiveness to Lord’s teaching made her understand the significance of Jesus’ impending death better than the 12.
• Your giving should reflect your gratitude toward the object of your affection.
• Extravagant giving is what you should desire to give toward God; because your desire is for God to be extravagant with YOU.
Look at Sis. Mary and look at her commitment.
Expensive ointment/pure nard
- she didn’t just sprinkle a little bit of the ointment on Jesus
- she didn’t just take a small portion of the ointment out and place that on Jesus
- she didn’t just measure it out so carefully, no she poured it out on Jesus.
This was an extravagant gift for Jesus!
She breaks the box and pours it out upon Jesus Christ. This was costly devotion.
And you need to know that if you are going to serve the Lord Jesus Christ don’t measure it out. If you are going to serve the Lord Jesus Christ don’t just see how little you can do for Him or how little you can give TO Him and get by. If you are going to serve the Lord Jesus Christ then pour it out upon Him.
- Give Him all you’ve got.
- Give it all you can give it, because that is the kind of service that Jesus demands.
If you want to serve Jesus in a way that will last for all of eternity and give your life eternal significance, then pour your life out in service for the Lord Jesus Christ.
• We want our life to be nothing more than a casual fling with God.
• We want our stewardship be nothing more than casual commitment.
For some our giving has become conformed to our level of comfort.
- We tip God (the better our week, the bigger the tip)
- We tease God (make God think we’re about to give Him some of us—and then we change our mind)
- We trick God (we give to Him because He has something that we want—and we atleast have enough sense to know that He’s in the blessing business—so we’ll give to Him because we want a house, we want a car, we want a man, we want a woman.
And none of these things—tipping, teasing, tricking Him—should take the place of what we are called by God to release within our spirit a heart of gratitude and devotion that is motivated by a life of sincerity that has allowed God to become our treasure.
See:
When you treasure Him—He becomes the first thing that crosses your mind at the beginning of every day.
When He is your treasure—your giving is not limited or relegated to what is convenient for you; but by what God has not only required of you—but you want to give Him more because He means just that much to you.
When He is your treasure—you don’t allow yourself to be defined and marginalized by your race/ethnicity/car you drive/house you live in—because you understand…it all belongs to Him anyway. And if He gave it to me it must be what He knew that I could handle right now.
When you treasure Him—then your life becomes connect to the law of reciprocity; where He gives me treasure so that I can break whatever it is that can release the treasure He gave me—so that I can give it back to Him—and the miracle of the harvest can MANIFEST in MY LIFE as He POURS his purpose in me through abundance—because I was willing to pour my heart into Him through my obedience.
• See when you are practicing the pouring, then you recognize that:
- You condition is not your conclusion
- Whatever you sow, you shall also reap
o If you’ve sowed during affliction you shall reap with abundance
o If you’ve sown during pain you shall reap in joy
o If you sow in tears you shall reap in laughter
o If you sow when you didn’t have anything you shall reap and have it all
o If you sow when you were last you shall reap when God makes you first
o If you sow during your times of darkness you shall reap during the light
- What God has for you—is for you
- You can have confidence that God will come through
What was Mary doing? Mary, in a real sense, was in worship. To her it was worth it to pour what she had out upon the Most High God. You do know that our word "worship" and our word "worth" are connected? Worship is realizing the worth-ship of a thing or a person.
The question you have to ask today is this: How much is Jesus worth to you? I can tell you how much He’s worth to me—but the question is: How much is He worth to you?
• It’s not a waste to pour your life out on Jesus. He’s worth it!
• It’s not a waste to wake up and enter into holy conversation with a loving God. He’s worth it!
• It’s not a waste to come to the Lord’s house and drive 5 minutes or even 5 hours—to come into this house to gather in His name and worship Him.
To think of His suffering—He’s worth the waste.
To think of His sovereignty—He’s worth the waste.
To think of His unfailing love—He’s worth the waste.
Note: What makes GOD worthy is because He is WORTH IT!
- You kiss up to your boss, but is he or she worth it?
- You work more so that you can make more to impress everybody around you, but are they worth it?
- You sacrifice your time because you want to get the plasma and the bigger and finer things—but are those bigger and finer things worth it.
I have an answer: NO!
- Your boss didn’t die for you.
- Your paycheck is not what makes your heart palpitate or make the sun from the light you see every morning shine.
- The bigger and finer things won’t answer you when you pray about your sickness or your fractured marriage, broken relationships or that child who strayed away.
You better learn like Mary did how to build your hopes on things eternal and hold to God’s unchanging hand. Because His hand is the ONLY hand that’s BIG enough give you an 100-fold return on the time, talent, and resources that you have so given to Him in the first place.
• In fact, the waste is to spend your life doing anything else other than serving Him.
Preacher, why should I break what I have before God?
Why should I pour what I have only the Lord?
Why should I take what I have and waste it on the Most High God?
That’s easy:
1. It ain’t yours (think about it—the himmilean plant came from the soil in the ground that He created; the flask came from the sheep skin from the cattle on a thousand hills that belongs to Him; I don’t even want to get on the other ingredients)
2. He’s the only ONE who can replace it
That ought to be good news for somebody here today
- You give Him time, He’ll compensate you with more time
- You give Him talent, He’ll not only enhance your talents—but according to Matthew 25 and Luke 19, He’ll increase your talents and then He’ll place you on a platform where you talent will be displayed for others to see and be blessed—and He will cause others to give their talents to you and make it work for you.
- You give Him your treasure, He’ll give you MORE treasure. (The Bible that I read still promises me that He gives seed to the sower.) That means that the more you sow and invest your resources in God’s Kingdom and in others—God will make stuff happen for you. When you seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and give to Him out of your resources—then God says you’re ready and prepared for me to bless you; your children; your children’s children; with an inheritance; with enough and more than enough with abundance; the lender and not the borrower; above only and not beneath.
Wherever you are and whatever you to the record is STILL clear—You can’t beat God giving!!!
I. LEARN HOW TO IGNORE THE CRITIQUE OF THE CROWD’S STUPIDITY
Let me put it another way—when it comes to giving and worship and commitment and dedication and Kingdom investment and Kingdom partnership—there will always be people who identify themselves as followers of Christ—who say that they are allies of the kingdom, but in reality they are enemies.
There will always be people who will say, ‘Now it doesn’t take all of that’.
There will always be people when it comes to giving of your time, talent and treasure—‘God understands’. (Well if God understood then He wouldn’t have told me to do it)
There will always be people who will try to get theological when it comes to the matter of what God’s expects, demands and what He requires.
Let me park here long enough to say: GOD’S WORD IS INNERRANT AND IT IS THE FINAL AUTHORITY. PERIOD.
- That includes the Old testament and the New testament
- That includes the Law and the Grace
- That includes the Beatitudes and the 10 commandments
- That includes the Promises and all of the stuff that I am supposed to OBEY in order to inherit the promises.
• Don’t tell me you want the crown but you don’t want the cross
• Don’t tell me you want the blessing but you are not willing to go through the burden
• Don’t tell me you want the 30, 60 and 100 fold return but you haven’t fulfilled the deposit.
The WORD is the WORD. And there will ALWAYS be people who will try to TEST God’s Word.
- Either you believe that God was playing when He said you sow what you reap or you don’t.
- Either you believe that God was serious when He said present your body as a living sacrifice or you do not.
- Either you believe that God owns it all or you do not.
When it comes to stewardship it you are either choosing true or false, multiple choice is not an option.
Watch the text. Look at verse 4. ‘For what purpose is this waste?’
Do you know who it was that was leading that criticism? John tells us it was a man named Judas, who betrayed Jesus, the hypocrite.
John 12:4, "Judas Iscariot" ask the questions
Judas was spokesman; disciples were undiscerning, were quick to voice sympathy with Judas’ protest.
And here’s what Judas said in John, Chapter 12, Verse 5. He said, "Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor?" And then John says this: "This he said not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief."
Judas’ criticism sounded spiritual. Even though Judas spoke out, the disciples were indignant "among themselves"
Judas is a reminder to us that every time there is criticism of Christian generosity, somewhere behind that criticism there may be a Judas.
• Whenever any interest—no matter how good it may seem—is sought out to replace the FIRST priority of putting God first—it may be a good idea, but it’s not the BEST idea—and in the end it is an idea that neglects God. And any neglect of God robs God of HIS glory.
• It’s a good thing to have money in the bank—but when having extra money in the bank makes you rob God of His glory—it doesn’t please God.
• It’s a good thing to come to church of Christmas, Mother’s Day and Easter—but if that’s the only time you come and God says He wants you here every week—you rob God of His glory—and it doesn’t please God.
• It’s a good thing to use all of the skills and gifts that you have to make money and the provide for your family and make a living—but when you forget to use those same skills and gifts that you know could have ONLY come from God and never use it to advance HIS kingdom, you are robbing God of His glory—and it doesn’t please God.
And if it doesn’t please God, and you KNOW it doesn’t please God—and then it doesn’t bother you—this is a sign and a symbol of a lack of relationship.
• When you are in love with a person, their broken heart breaks your heart; their unhappiness makes you unhappy; their tears make you cry; and even their anger makes it hard for you to sleep at night.
And I want you to know that every gift that is in you that you are sitting on—it is hurting your loving God; every talent that God has given you that you are failing to cultivate—it is breaking God’s heart; every moment that you breathe and you neglect to devote any of your time to His and for His kingdom—it is bringing breaking the heart of the Most High God.
- Several years ago, the City of Houston built a $100 million to renovate the Museum of Fine Arts-of which most of us have never even been—paid for by the city. But I hear nobody calling it a waste.
- In 1997, the Houston Astros organization built a stadium at a cost of $250 million, 68% (180 million) was financed by the public—to build this facility so that the baseball team could play for a season. Of which to date the Astros has NEVER won a world championship in its history—though the city spent over 180 million dollars on a stadium—but I hear nobody calling it a waste.
- The Toyota Center was built in 2003 and paid for entirely by the public for a cost of $175 million dollars—to watch our basketball team dribble a ball for a season. We haven’t won a championship in that time—but nobody’s calling it a waste.
- The Reliant Arena was built in 2002 at a cost of $475 million dollars—to watch our football team play for a season. We haven’t won many games much less a championship at all—but nobody’s calling it a waste.
- We paying people salaries that are skyrocketing through the city; but we have teachers that are barely making it on minimum wage. But I don’t hear nobody calling it a waste.
- Police officers are policing our urban cities and centers—afraid even for their life, barely making it. Taking undercover money making up for what we won’t even pay. It’s sad—but we will OVERPAY artists of every kind but want even pay more for those who police out cities and protect every day. But however you look at it—nobody calls it a waste.
But no sooner than the church involves herself in expansion and in building—the critics got a way of raising up and asking—WHY THIS WASTE???
• The reality of it is that if the church is not designing ministry to equip believers to serve and do the work of the ministry—then we won’t have believers strong enough to go out in the world and to effect the change that is needed.
That is why I don’t get discouraged when people criticize the church; because I’m a critical lover of the church. I know that there are a lot of things that the church is not doing that we COULD be doing. I know that there are a lot of people who could be being much more in every way—that aren’t doing much or if anything at all. No need in us pointing fingers—we just ALL need to know that we ain’t everything that we ought to be. But God has never told us that the church was full of perfect people in the first place. So that when people start talking about the church is not what it ought to be—don’t even entertain that foolishness. Because if you want to make the church better, then come on the INSIDE and make it better.
They asked the question, ‘Why this waste?’
And Mary must have been hurt, confused, perplexed and emotions running wild. The text doesn’t say it—but Mary must have thought in her mind. Why are they criticizing me? They are the ones who are supposed to be His disciples!
II. LEARN HOW TO ADOPT THE COMMENDATION OF THE MASTER’S WORD
They are indignant. In the Greek is the sound of snorting horses. And Jesus responds today with compassion in His word.
He responds with compassion. The word compassion means to step into someone else’s skin. Jesus steps into her skin in a moment to empathize with her pain at the insult of their response. And Christ responds in verse 6 by saying, ‘Why are you insulting her?’
Now we know that He is addressing all of the disciples; but more specifically He is addressing Judas. Why? Because her giving and her sacrifice is the exposing Judas for being the trader that He really is.
• And that is why non-givers don’t like giving. Because giving exposes the fact that they are a trader and a Judas.
It was her love that motivated her to give her best; but Judas couldn’t take it.
Notice the declaration of the Lord. There is a sense of grief in what is said. Jesus said, "Let her alone, why are you bothering her? She hath done what she could."
And I’m talking to somebody her. Alright you don’t have 30 thousand dollars; you don’t have the alabaster jar. But you have SOMETHING. I’m not talking about YOURSELF and YOUR BEST. What are you giving to Jesus?
• Leftovers are alright but Jesus ought to get the first part!
“Let her alone!!! Why are YOU bothering her?” She is pouring on me 30 thousand dollars worth of pure nard that she could have given to her children when she passed away; but YOU are about to sell me out for 30 pieces of silver, less than 15 dollars. And you are mad because she has a costly gift and you have a cheap gift—she did the best that she could.
She couldn’t be a pastor, she couldn’t be a disciple, and she couldn’t write a book of the New Testament. All she could do was this. He said let her alone, don’t criticize her. She hath done what she could. And that is all the Lord expects of you. He doesn’t expect you to be Billy Graham, He doesn’t expect you to be a speaker if you are not gifted to do that, He expects you to do what you can, while you can. What can you do today? Then do it. Jesus praised the loving nature of her gift. She had done what she could and He knew it was done from love and He praised the loving nature of her gift.
• Mary’s reward was a moment of commendation.
And so I want to leave you with three words:
1. We ought to have a SANCTIFIED GIFT. There ought to be something that you set aside for the purpose to give unto God. We ought not give Him the least of our time. We ought to carve out SOME significant time where God can be honored. We ought to give God a sanctified gift. He ought to be handled with care. He ought to be marked fragile
2. It ought to be a SURRENDERED GIFT. It ought to not be a gift that’s pulled out of you. It ought to be a gift that you WILLINGLY surrender. (Romans 12:1) You want to give it because you love Him.
Ill—my daddy got me a piñata. I kept on swinging. He said, ‘Son…the name of the game is you have to break it; but you have to break it in the right place.’
Mary had been broken in the right place. That’s why she could give what she had. Somebody in here right now, God is breaking you! But He wants to get you in the right place!!!
- Attitude needs to be changed
- Gratitude needs to be altered
- Conduct needs to be modified
- Character needs to be sharpened
- Stinginess needs to be destroyed
God has to break us in the right place.
Do you remember when Jacob wrestled with the angel? That angel said, ‘let me go…for the day is breaking’. But Jacob said…’I won’t let you go until you bless me.’ And all we know is the morning came and Jacob was on the ground. But now he has a different walk. Because when he takes a step forward, he discovers that he’s been changed. And the name of the game is that you can’t be blessed until you’ve been broken.
3. It ought to be a SACRIFICIAL GIFT.
