BROKEN & SPILLED OUT
Jn. 12:3
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: TIGER SNACK
1. A tiger was walking through the jungle one day and saw two men relaxing under a tree. One was reading a newspaper, and the other was working feverishly on a manual typewriter.
2. The tiger leapt on the man with the newspaper, and ate him up. The tiger did not bother the other man at all. That's because any predator knows that readers digest but writers cramp.
B. TEXT
“Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.” John 12:3.
C. THESIS
1. First we’re going to notice Mary’s unique way of showing love to Jesus, next the concentration of her gift, and last the reason for the widespread effect of it.
2. Title of this message is, “Broken & Spilled Out.”
I. DEMONSTRATION OF LOVE TO CHRIST
1. In the town of Bethany, there was a family made up of 2 sisters and a brother; Mary, Martha and Lazarus. These two sisters became famous for entertaining Jesus in their home.
2. The brother Lazarus is known to us became Jesus raised him from the dead.
3. If you study the two sisters and the brother, you find that though they all greatly loved Jesus, each one had a different way of showing that love.
4. It’s the same with us today, true believers don’t always feel moved to serve the Lord Jesus in the same fashion, or to express their love to Him in precisely the same manner.
A. MARTHA’S DEMONSTRATION
1. Martha served. She was the housekeeper and made wonderful suppers for the Lord and His disciples. Jesus really appreciated her gift of hospitality.
2. Sometimes people speak disparagingly of Martha, but they mistake the Lord, who never disapproved of her serving but for pressuring her sister.
3. Martha, in this instance did not fall into that fault. She did her part quietly.
4. We have many ladies who serve in the church – some teaching classes, some cooking, some as greeters, some volunteer in child care, some care for the sick and the poor.
B. LAZARUS’ DEMONSTRATION
1. Lazarus also demonstrated his love to Christ by his hospitality and by his witnessing.
2. People came from all around to see Lazarus who had been raised from the dead. He himself was the best evidence to convince people that the power of Christ was real. He was, indeed, alive!
3. There are some Christians who can’t do or say much, but their godly lives, their patient suffering, their quiet holiness are good witnesses to Jesus.
4. Many Men honor the Lord by serving as ushers, greeters, teachers, volunteering of all kinds. All these demonstrate love for Jesus.
C. MARY’S LOVE TO CHRIST
1. But what shall Mary do? Her desire wasn’t to be at the table, Lazarus is there. Her place wasn’t in the kitchen, that was Martha’s domain—her abilities lay in a different direction. What should Mary do?
2. Her burning heart compelled her to express her love somehow – but how? She was drawn to the custom of honored guests by anointing them with ointment. She perceived that this had not yet been done, at least, in the royal style which her love suggested.
3. Perhaps she was very lovely and fond of adorning her person. The thought struck her of using the pound of fragrant salve she had stored up for beautifying herself to lavish on Jesus. It was very expensive, but nothing was too costly to honor Him.
4. Mary’s gift proved her love to be of no common kind. Other women made suppers for Him. Other hosts sat at the table with Him. But no other had anointed His feet like she did!
5. Hers was the act of a soul all on fire, the deed of a woman filled with deep devotion and reverent love.
6. She had sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His Words! She had perceived His Godhead and understood more of who He was and what He was about to do than any other of the disciples.
7. The Church needs to be a band of men and women full of enthusiasm who will go beyond others in devotion to the Lord Jesus.
8. We need missionaries who will dare to die to carry the Gospel to regions beyond. We need Christians who will defy public opinion and, with flaming zeal, burn a way into men’s hearts.
II. THE CONCENTRATION OF MARY’S GIFT
“Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly…”
A. THE FORMATION OF CHRIST IN US
1. Before you can give out, you must take in. She brought out all her ointment, the whole pound, without reserve.
2. Likewise, consecrate to the Savior all that you have—every faculty, power, possession and ability!
3. Half of the pound of spikenard wouldn’t have been sufficient. A half pound held back would have spoiled the gift.
4. Shall we give half a heart to Christ? Shall we give half our gifts, half our attention, half of our wills to Christ? It is an unworthy gift! He claims all of you!
5. If we want to fill “the house” with the fragrance, we have to surrender our whole selves at His feet!
6. JOKE. ‘Half a Heart.’
a. Brant Deichmann told about how on his grandfather's first day in boot camp, his drill sergeant brought the unit to attention and asked, "Is anyone here musically inclined?"
b. Seeing an easy job in the offing, three soldiers, including his grandpa, raised their hands. "Good," said the sergeant. "You three will move the commander's piano."
B. IF OTHER’S THINK OUR DEVOTION IS TOO EXTRAVAGANT?
1. She had no fear of the black looks of Judas. She gave no thought to Martha or Lazarus.
2. When criticism was given, she was never concerned about an apology. Her Master’s look of love and kind word, “Let her alone” -- His approval – was all the reward she wanted.
III. DIFFUSION: THE IMPRESSION ON OTHERS
“The house was filled with the odor of the ointment.”
A. THE GENUINE, PUNGENT IS INFLUENTIAL
1. Observe that the house was not filled with the odor of the ointment through Mary’s seeking. The house becoming perfumed was a by-product; her only purpose was to anoint her Lord.
2. She didn’t have to run through the house yelling, “Spikenard! Spikenard! Wonderful spikenard!” Neither do we have to advertise our godliness.
3. Lavish your love as a sacrifice to Jesus and you won’t have to say anything about it, for everyone will soon notice the sweet smell/ attitude from you! We need less talk and more actual living for Jesus.
4. Real religion is always influential. Sham religion has but sham power. Artificial flowers may be made so exactly like the real plants that you can scarcely detect them, but they lack the perfume.
5. The mere professor doesn’t have the fragrance of real Grace and, consequently, no attractive and sweetening influence upon others!
B. THE LAW OF TRANSFUSION
1. How was it that the rooms became filled with the odor? There is a law of Nature which chemists call the law of transfusion.
2. If two gases of an entirely different nature are brought into contact, they commence at once to mix with one another and continue to unite till they are thoroughly intermingled. Thus flavors and odors diffuse themselves in the air.
3. It is so with good and evil in the world. Every man is the worse for coming in contact with evil and every man is swayed to some degree for good by the presence of a virtuous life. The law of transfusion enters into moral and spiritual matters.
4. A blameless life may reach far beyond what you suppose to be its sphere and even teach some who are yet unborn.
5. True godliness is a powerful essence and possesses great energy. The life of God is in it. The Spirit of God dwells in every gracious word. The name of Jesus is as ointment poured forth.
6. The laws of concentration and diffusion say that “the more of Jesus we are filled with, the more pure will be the presence of Christ in us, and therefore, the greater and more widespread will be the diffusion!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. David Livingstone, a missionary to Africa for 18 years came home to speak at a University!
2. He got up to speak, face wrinkled by 27 fevers, darkened by the sun, with one arm hanging limp due to a lion’s bite.
3. He gave a speech that left the audience quiet with amazement. He closed out with, “And you know what … I’m going back!”
4. He said, “Shall I tell you what sustained me amidst the toils, the hardships and loneliness of my life?” “It was the promise of Jesus, ‘Lo, I am with you always …’”
5. He was “broken and spilled out” for Christ. Will you take the challenge to be broken and spilled out for Christ?
B. THE CALL
1. How far have you concentrated your love upon Christ: to your own house? Has your spouse noticed the change Christ has made in your life?
2. Do people at your work smell Christ? The hair salon? The grocery store?
3. Godliness must arise from the best of our lives being sacrificed to Jesus! The greater our gift of ourselves to Christ, the greater the fragrance.
[This sermon is a reworked message based on Charles Spurgeon’s sermon on the same verse.]
