Mark 14:1-25 - Theology of Remembrance

I love parties.

To have an occasion of good news and something to celebrate is amazing.

My favorite celebrations are weddings.

My wedding reception was my favorite I’ve ever been to—I’m not being biased.

Games, food, a room filled with my favorite people, you danced until you sweat.

It was a party Jesus would’ve loved.

People who were there still talk with me about it to this day.

I wish we could celebrate things like that more—We don’t celebrate enough.

We definitely don’t celebrate like the Jews celebrated.

Context

Two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread

This was an annual springtime festival that the Jews would celebrate along with the passover.

This is a major week in Jewish life

This served as a reminder of when God rescued His people from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:17)

This was to prompt them to remember their history and the foundations of their beliefs.

Centuries after the Exodus, God’s people were still celebrating and remembering His faithfulness toward them.

Big Idea: Theology of Remembrance

Stand to read

Mark 14:3–9 ESV

3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Leader: This is God’s Word

Everyone: Thanks be to God.

Jesus is in a house outside of Bethany, with a guy He presumably healed of leprosy.

The shock-factor really sets in when a woman approaches Jesus.

She brings this flask and breaks it and pours the nard all over Jesus’s head.

Mark makes the note that it was “very costly” (v. 3)

In high school, my friend Andrew always wore expensive cologne. He was known for it.

I asked Andrew what he used so that I could up my game.

He said it was Versace.

It was $60!

I didn’t have $60 in my bank account.

Versace is nothing compared to nard.

A denarius was a day’s wage

Modern money - 300 denarii = $25,000

This was likely a family heirloom, which possessed far more sentimental value

She didn’t just pour it out, but she smashed the flask!

It could never be used again!

That shows us the totality of the gift

The disciples respond to her act of worship with anger.

John’s gospel says Judas said, “Why would you do that?!”

Jesus comes to her defense quickly and doesn’t pull punches.

“Why would you not?!”

Could you imagine looking at an act of worship and saying “that’s not worth it?”

Their actions reveal their true value.

We do this exact same thing when we skip worship. When we don’t spend time in our Bibles or with other Christians.

We’re functionally declaring, “My time is better spent somewhere else than on Jesus.”

What do your actions reveal you value?

Let this sit. Don’t rush off this.

They don’t see the beauty behind what she did because they don’t see the value of Jesus.

She took the opportunity to demonstrate how much she values Jesus.

She declared her absolute love for Jesus.

Jesus had captured her heart.

This shows us that,

Remembering who Jesus is leads us to sacrificial love (vv. 3-11)

When we’ve been changed by the gospel, we are led to radical worship.

We are those who see Jesus as our ultimate treasure, and nothing of this world compares to Him!

When we say our mission statement, we mean it!

We put Jesus first because nothing else is worthy of that spot!

This woman demonstrated love for Jesus because He was her treasure.

Jesus said she anointed Him for burial (v. 8)

The disciples still don’t understand His coming death, burial, and resurrection.

But this woman broke and pour out her greatest treasure.

Likewise, God the Father has sent His greatest treasure in Christ—whose body will be broken and whose blood will be poured out for the forgiveness of sins.

What are you holding onto that is a greater treasure than Jesus? What do you need to let go of?

At the beginning of this chapter, we see where the religious leaders are spending their time seeking how to arrest Jesus.

They’re so afraid of the people and Jesus poses a big threat to their religious authority over the people, that they do their work in the shadows.

Now they have found the answer to their search.

One of His own disciples will betray Him.

Mark 14:10–11 ESV

10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.

They can’t contain their joy.

They want to kill Jesus and protect themselves from the people.

Judas is their ace.

In return, they give Judas what he really values. Money.

Jesus knows that all of this is going on.

Jesus knows that the Scripture must be fulfilled.

Jesus sits down to celebrate the Passover with His disciples when He drops a bomb on them.

He tells them that one of His disciples will betray Him

The betrayal doesn’t take Jesus by surprise. He predicts and prophesies it.

Jesus is in total control of the narrative.

He’s not shying away, hiding, or manipulating the scene for it not to happen.

He’s already told them of His coming death and resurrection, so He’s not panicked.

He continues with the Passover meal.

Mark 14:22–25 ESV

22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Jesus takes the bread tells them that it is a representative of His body that will be broken for them.

Then Jesus took the cup and said, “This is my blood.”

This was a huge statement.

Gospel presentation

That cup that declares the promise that I’m going to redeem you!

Jesus was declaring to His disciples that His blood would be the sufficient sacrifice that would be pour out to God for many for the forgiveness of sin!

The blood of the covenant drew the disciples minds to Exodus 24, where God used the blood of sacrifices as a seal of His covenant with His people.

Jesus is making a new covenant with His people!

Now, not through the blood of sacrifices but through His blood can we have everlasting life!

No longer does God requires sacrifices because Jesus has given Himself up

God has given up His Son to pay for our sins on the cross!

All of the wrath of God was paid for by Jesus so that you can become a child of God and have a place at His table forever!

Jesus told them and He tells us to remember this every time we take the Lord’s Supper.

Church,

Remembering what Jesus did leads us to feast (vv. 12-25)

The Lord’s Supper, if we’re not careful, can become routine and mundane.

This is anything but.

The Lord Supper is a marvelous invitation to feast on the gospel.

I have a weakness for TX Roadhouse Rolls

“Do you want another basket of rolls?” YES.

Before you know it you go through 8 baskets of rolls

Then your plate comes with the perfectly cooked mashed potatoes where the butter is melted all over them and with the juicy, medium-rare steak, but you’re NOT GOING TO EAT it because you’re full of filler!

Far too often, we settle for morally neutral things and skip the feast.

We give ourselves over to things that don’t lead us to sin, but keep us from truly delighting in Jesus.

Netflix, success, sports, sex, food.

Likewise, we settle for spiritual appetizers but don’t drink deeply of the gospel.

The gospel is the power of God for our salvation and the foundation of our lives.

Jesus gives us this privilege, to come to His table and remember.

Remember the patience of God that sent His Son for our sins.

Remember the sufferings of Jesus when His body was broken instead of ours.

Remember the blood that flowed that drowned our sins in the love and grace of God!

Remember the mighty power that Jesus displayed on the cross crushing our sins!

Remember that through faith in Jesus, we can be set free from guilt and shame and live in Him and with Him forever!

This is a feast that changes our lives!

This reminds us that we get every blessing in Christ!

This reminds us that we are citizens of heaven!

This reminds us that every aspect of our lives joyfully belongs to Jesus!

What we are doing when we take the Lord’s Supper together is taking in all of Christ for all of our lives!

Jesus shed His perfect blood so that we can come into the Kingdom blameless before God because Jesus took our sin and shame to Himself!

Don’t come to the Lord’s Supper without remembering the all sufficient sacrifice of Jesus!

If you’re not a Christian, come and feast!

Jesus is offering you a spot at His table to receive His salvation right now.

The good news of Jesus is that those who trust in Jesus and are changed by Him are forgiven of their sins!

More than that, we’re brought into God’s family through the blood of Jesus!

It’s not based on your self-righteousness or ability to perform!

The gospel is for sinners, not achievers!

Turn from sin to Jesus!

Come and talk with me after the service! I’d love to pray with you!

If you’re a Christian, don’t settle for spiritual appetizers when Jesus offers your Himself as the feast.

Let’s remember with thankful hearts that our greatest treasure, Jesus, has given Himself up for us.

Every here has a Next Step to Take.

Let’s celebrate what the Lord has done for us!

Let’s take this great feast to our neighbors.

Like the woman who broke the flask, lets Share the Hope of Jesus because there’s room at God’s table.

There’s room at this feast!

There is so much more forgiveness in Jesus than sin in this world.

Who are you going to invite to the Lord’s Table? Who are you going to invite to join us in worship?

Who is someone in your life that you know doesn’t have Jesus as their treasure?

Because remembering who Jesus is leads us to sacrificial love, and remembering what Jesus did leads us to feast.