Resurrection Road pt1
Notes
Transcript
Today we start a new series called “Resurrection Road” During this series we’ll be led on a journey which follows the final days of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. However before this road reaches the resurrection, it must first pass though the moment of the cross. The moments leading up to the cross of Christ have many well known moments. The triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, and the teachings of Jesus during holy week are the most obvious. However today we are going to look at a pivotal moment leading to the cross which is sometimes overlooked. Today we are going to look at the story of Jesus anointing in Bethany.
READ Matthew 26:8-13
And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
We often have our own ideas on what it means to serve Jesus. We usually make ourselves judge and jury as to whether or not an act of service and worship is “worthwhile” or “futile and wasteful”
However Jesus is the value Jesus sees is often different from ours. Jesus will often show us that he values those gestures of worship that humanity deems either futile or wasteful. We shouldn’t be so quick to judge what are worthwhile and futile efforts in serving Jesus. Such is the case in this passage.
Mary and Martha are once again hosting a dinner in honor of Jesus, much like they did earlier in the gospels. However during the first dinner there would be a sense of hopefulness and joy in the air. The second occasion would still be joyful, but there would be an overwhelming tension in the air. Some of the disciples seem to be growing distant and disillusioned by Jesus. While at the same time it’s clear that something is weighing heavy on the mind of Jesus.
Mary however seems to realize the trouble that is on Jesus' mind. She enters the room and breaks open a small flask of a perfume called Nard. This is an extremely expensive perfume. Judas will later mention that it’s worth an entire year's wages, which is about 300 denarii.
Nard is a specific name for a specific perfume. It’s a root which can be found in the Indian Himalayan mountains. However there is also a generic term for an extremely expensive oil and perfume, it’s a word you already know. Myrrh. When the Magi visited Jesus, a perfume very similar to what Mary used was one of the many gifts they gave him. The most common use of this perfume was involved with the burial process. The third verse of the Christmas Carol “We three kings” alludes to this.
Myrrh is mine, it's a bitter perfume. Breathes a life of gathering gloom; sorrow, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in a stone cold tomb.
If a person possesses such an expensive perfume, they have a predetermined specific use for it. I believe Mary had always planned to use it for the burial of someone she held dear. Hence the reason she’s using Jesus now.
This is a wonderful gift and act of service from Mary. Jesus recognizes this as a wonderful gift and act of service. It’s one which he greatly appreciates, and views as an act of worship. This is a fantastic moment, this is a fantastic example of serving Jesus. However it doesn’t seem this act of service is rightly recognized as such by some of the people in the room. The moment is interrupted by the objections of those who deem this act unworthy. This objection comes from all the other disciples
The disciples all object to this act of service and worship because they deem it to a waste of a good resource. After wouldn’t the money received in selling such an item be better used to feed the poor?
In John's gospel Judas immediately appraises the value of this perfume to be 300 Denarii, and all 300 denarii were wasted because of this wasteful act.
The disciples believe they are representing Jesus' heart and thoughts on the matter. Jesus has gone out of his way to help the poor and needy.
Judas however sees Jesus let this happen without rebuking Mary, and it’s at this point we realizes his worldview no longer aligns with Jesus. Look what happens next. Matthew 26:14-16
Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.
This is the moment when Judas decides to betray Jesus. The gospel of John mentions how the ministry of Jesus was profitable for Judas. Because Judas would help himself to the ministries money. When Judas no longer viewed this ministry as profitable, he sought to make it profitable though the only means he knew. Agreeing to betray Jesus for a sum of money.
However the motives of most of the disciples are not as twisted as Judas. The disciples like us tend to believe we understand what are worthwhile and futile acts of service and worship. Jesus however shows the disciples he often loves and appreciates the acts of service we deem worthless. Jesus is using what is considered foolish to shame the wise.
Jesus immediately rebukes the criticism coming from the disciples. Leave her alone! He commands. She has done a beautiful thing for me! Jesus mentions that his actions will be honored by the church wherever the gospel is proclaimed.
The lesson here is really 2 fold. The first lesson this passage teaches us is to never underestimate the value of our service to Jesus. What you are doing in the name of Jesus may be far more significant that we ever realize.
Did Mary understand the significance of what Jesus was preparing to endure? We can conclude that she at the very least understood he was getting ready to endure a monumental ordeal. She may understand that she is preparing Jesus for what he calls a burial. However she probably doesn’t realize all the major events getting ready to happen in the next week. I think it’s also a safe conclusion that Jesus saw this act of service as even more significant than what Mary believed. We may never realize the significance of our service.
The second lesson we learn is this. We must be careful in labeling an act of service as wasteful or insignificant. Because it may be far more significant that we realize. If we cannot see the value in people's efforts, do we dismiss those efforts as wasteful? Is an act of service done in the name of Jesus only worth it if WE believe it’s worthwhile? This happens more than you might think, and I will give you an example of how.
During this year's Super Bowl, a gospel centered organization called “He gets us” bought 2 ads during the Superbowl. Commercials for this year's Super Bowl ran for about 7 Million dollars for 30 seconds of air time. “He gets us” ran 2 commercials, which means they spent about 14 million dollars.
Many people rightly saw this as a great opportunity to proclaim the name of Jesus during a time in which most T.V’s in America are tuned in and watching. This could be a great chance to sow gospel seeds.
However others protested, and their protest echoed the words of Judas and the other disciples. What a waste of money! Jesus would want that money spent on the poor instead.
We must be very careful in calling acts of service and worship “worthless” because they may very well be a beautiful thing to Jesus. We may never realize the significance of our service.