Wasted! Mark 14:3-9
I want to start by asking you 2 questions:
1/Do you feel or think that what you do doesn’t matter to anyone or it’s just a waste of time?
2/Do others tell you what you do doesn’t matter or it is a waste of time?
This is what is what we read about here in Mark 14. A lady here does a very, very special /costly thing for the Lord. Some onlookers tell her it is was waste.
Let’s begin reading in verse 3…“While Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of expensive scented oil from pure nard. After breaking open the jar, she poured it on his head. But some who were present angrily said to one another, "Why this waste of expensive oil? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and given to the poor!" But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a good service for me. For you will always have the poor with you, and you can do good for them whenever you want. But you will not always have me! She did what she could. She anointed my body in preparation for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be remembered."
Some of the saddest words in all the Bible are found here in this passage of scripture. One of the onlookers who saw this woman pouring this costly oil on Jesus’ head said it was a waste. Sad!
Jesus, on the other hand, approved of what she did. In fact, He told them to leave her alone. And then He said wherever the gospel is preached around the world what she did will always be remembered. 2,000 years later she is still remembered for what she did. What she did was not a waste!
Just like the lady here, there will those or some spirit who will tell you -- what you do for the Lord is a waste.
You will be shocked who told this woman what she did for the Lord was a waste!
Mark doesn’t tell us here, but John does in his gospel. John tells us it was Judas who said to her it was a waste.
Judas. One of Jesus’ apostles! What do we know about Judas? What do we ever see Judas doing for Jesus? Nothing! Nothing good!
You never read where he preached a sermon or led someone to
the Lord like Peter.
He never wrote a book of the Bible like the Gospel of Matthew or the Gospel of John. There is a 2nd century writing entitled “the gospel of Judas” but he didn’t write it.
He never performed a miracle, never led in prayer, or Bible study.
Judas is someone who never did anything for the Lord and he’s telling someone who is doing something for the Lord that it is a waste.
You know why he’s telling her it is a waste to serve the Lord? Because that’s how he thought and felt about his service to the Lord and that’s why he never did anything for the Lord except to be unfaithful and ultimately betray him.
There are a lot of people just like Judas who will tell you going to church is a waste of time. They will tell you praying is a waste of time. Reading the Bible is a waste of time. Giving your money to the church is a waste.
Be aware of these Judases who tell you that what you do for the Lord is a waste. Don’t listen to them.
Listen, the greatest joy, happiness, purpose, and reward in this life is living for Christ.
I can think of some things that are a waste of your time, money and energy, but serving the Lord is not one of them. Living for sin self and satan is a waste but living for the Savior is not a waste.
Mark 10:28 Peter said “Lord, we have given up everything to follow you. Jesus said, everyone who has given up everything to follow me will receive in this life a hundredfold and in the age to come eternal life.” Giving up everything to serve Christ is not a waste. It’s a waste if you don’t give him everything. I tell the inmates at the prison look what living for sin & self got you.
Revelation 22:12 Jesus says, “I am coming back soon, and My reward is with Me, to repay everyone for what they have done."
What we do for the Lord will be remembered and rewarded.
This is why we never give up serving the Lord. The Apostle Paul, who could have easily given up and given in on many occasions, encourages us with these words:
“My beloved brothers, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for you know that your labor for the Lord is not a waste.” 1 Corinthians 15:58
What we do for the Lord is not worthless! It is not a waste!
So be steadfast, unmovable always serving the Lord!
To his faithful laborers Jesus will say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.” Matthew 25:21
It’s a joy to serve the Lord. It’s what we were put here to do. It’s our purpose. He saved us to serve him.
I used to think God saved me so I could go to heaven. I’ve since learned he saved me so I can live for him and serve him. Going to heaven is a benefit, not the purpose.
Mark 9:41 Jesus said, “Whoever gives a cup of water in my name, because you belong to me, he will not lose his reward.” A cup of water. There’s a reward from the Lord in just giving someone a cup of water in his name. That’s a very small thing isnt’ it?
This woman’s bottle of oil that she poured on Jesus was worth a year’s wages. V5 KJV says “three hundred pence or denarii” a de’nari’us was a day’s wage. 360 denarii was a year’s wages. Very costly thing she did for the Lord.
Which goes to show us that nothing too small (a cup of water) and nothing to costly (a year’s wages) will ever go unnoticed or unrewarded by the Lord.
You may think what you do doesn’t matter. People may tell you what you don’t matter, but Jesus says it does. Will you listen to Jesus or Judas?
Vs8-9 Jesus said this woman’s act was done in preparation of His death and burial and was a proclamation of the gospel. Every-thing we do for the Lord, like her, is a proclamation of the gospel …and it will be remembered and rewarded by Him.
Don’t ever think that what you do for the Lord is a waste. What we do for the Lord is the only that matters.
Someone has wisely said, “Only one life and it soon will pass, only what’s done for Christ will last.” Living for Christ is not a waste. Living for Jesus is not a waste. Don't grow weary. Be steadfast.
