Summary: Looking at the woman and her offering for understanding of brokenness and offering.

How 2 B Broken & Spilled Out

Mark 14:3-9

Illus: Piggy Bank with $1 million: Valuable because of its contents which can only be poured out when it is broken. Test tube with antidote for arthritis: valuable for its contents only if it is broken open and used.

I. A Valuable Commodity: Could have brought something much less valuable, but she felt Jesus deserved the very best. How about you and I?

A. The perfume & woman:

1. Worth a year’s wages: Today = $25-

30,000. So valuable that she

causes a little stir in Judas’

greedy heart! Sell it and give it

to me, I mean the poor through me.

2. How obtained? We don’t know.

Heirloom, dowry, etc.

B. The N.U.T.S. (Christians) (Never

Underestimate The Spirit) gang:

1. Mankind is the most valuable

aspect of God’s creation. “Of all

His creatures great and small, God

loves you most of all!”

2. Psalmist in 139:15-16, “He knit me

in my mother’s womb”, He put me

together in a more dramatic way

than I could put together a 500

piece puzzle. He assembled me for

a plan that He had for me.

(Jer 1:4-5, Ephesians 2:10)

C. The normals:

1. Just as valuable as you and I.

While we were yet sinners, Christ

died for us!

2. God hates sin, not sinners!

II. Brokenness = Openness

A. The perfume & woman:

1. In order to be used, she had to

break open the jar.

2. In order to be used, she had to be

willing to surrender it to Jesus.

Her act showed a submission to

Jesus as Messiah!

B. N.U.T.S.:

1. In order to be used, we have to be

broken.

2. In being broken, we are exposed

for who we are!

3. In being broken, we are humbled to

the point of submission. God will

use drastic means to break us!

Remember David? Remember Peter?

Remember Saul/Paul? Even Jesus:

Kenosis in Philippians 4!

C. Normals:

1. Pride stands in the way of

brokenness!

2. They refuse to be subject to

anyone, even Jesus!

III. Pour it on!:

A. The perfume & woman:

1. To just open the jar would not

suffice for what God intended, it

had to also be poured out.

2. It was ultimately up to her to

follow through.

3. Was poured out despite the

criticism of others, Judas, in the

room.

B. N.U.T.S.:

1. To be broken is just the first

step. We must then follow through

with pouring ourselves out at His

feet. In doing so, we completely

empty ourselves of self and make

room for God to replace that with

Himself.

2. We must not be swayed by the

criticism of others or fear:

A. Fear of unknown

B. Fear of critics

C. Fear of failure

D. Fear of success

C. Normals:

1. Are unbroken therefore impossible

to be pour out.

2. Have subjected themselves to the

criticism of others and the fears

afore mentioned.