Responding to the death of Jesus

Bible Passage: Mk 14:1–11

1. Boldness in Devotion

Mark 14:1–5 CSB

It was two days before the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a cunning way to arrest Jesus and kill him. “Not during the festival,” they said, “so that there won’t be a riot among the people.” While he was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured it on his head. But some were expressing indignation to one another: “Why has this perfume been wasted? For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they began to scold her.

Genuine worship vv.1-3

while Jesus and the disciples are staying simon the lepers hours and a couple days before the passover feast and hours before the last supper, Jesus is approached by a women named Mary of Bethany. we know who this is becasue of John account in Jn. 12:3. this is the same mary who was brothers with lazurus the man who was raised from the dead.

This woman had seen Jesus bring her brother back to life, she saw him ltierally raise the dead.

Mary had witnnessed what Jesus had done, what he is capable of and had full faith and hope in what he will do. She understood what was coming for Jesus, his death. we know that she clung to Jesus whenever she was around him Luke 10:39

Luke 10:39 CSB

She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what he said.

She listened to Jesus and al the times he predicted his own death and ressurection. and her response was to humbly worship him and anoint him with the most expensive thing she had, and she did not care who was around to see it , just her and Jesus.

2. The reaction of the disciples vv.4-5

Mk 14:4–5

Mark 14:4–5 CSB

But some were expressing indignation to one another: “Why has this perfume been wasted? For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they began to scold her.

the disciples had an interesting reaction to this. Seing Mary dump this expensive bottle of perfume on Jesus they could not comprehend what would lead her to do this

The disciples couldnt see past the money that coudlve been gained form thsi perfume, and the good that this money couldve accomplished. they couldve helped the poor or furthered the minsitry but she used it to annoint Jesus and worship him.

3. Christ Commends Love

Mark 14:6–9 CSB

Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a noble thing for me. You always have the poor with you, and you can do what is good for them whenever you want, but you do not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body in advance for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

It doesnt matter what the others were saying about this, it doesnt matter what she couldve said to defend herself, and she didtn even need too, Becasue Spoke for her in her defense.

“She has done a noble thing for me” she did something to honour Jesus, she kenw his time as coming and he would leave them soon, So because of his death She worships. she turns off all the outside noise becasue she know that the man Jesus Chrsit was worth all of her attetnion, all of her money, all of her honour all of it was to be given to Jesus in that moment no matter who was watching.

what good is doing works of service for the poor and helpless if we do not first lay down at the feet of the man who died for us in order for us to live. thats what the disicples ddint Get, there will always be somone to help, but if they do not recognize Jesus and recognize the signifigance of his death than their work is usless.

James 2:22 CSB

You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was made complete,

your faith, your worship, your devotion, your personal things, if all of those things are not given to Jesus in faith than what good is your work. His coming death was so much more improtatn than anything else the disicples couldve focused on in that moment.

4. Choices of the Heart

Mark 14:10–11 CSB

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. And when they heard this, they were glad and promised to give him money. So he started looking for a good opportunity to betray him.

This was the last straw for Judas. The man who loved money more than anything else just witnessed moeny that couldve and in his mind shouldev been his seemingly go to waste. So he got up and told the preists exaclt ywhere they could find and arrest Jesus.

If Judas could not understand the woman’s action, then he would not understand the cross either.

R. Alan Cole, “Mark,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 971.Judas Coudlnt see past the thigns of this world, and it blinded his sight of Jesus.

Judas couldnt see past the things of this world and it blinded his sight of Jesus and the imprtance of the cross.

Application

we can act like everyone in this story, an dhte way we act is all reflective of what we believe Jesus death means to us.

1. we can act like Mary.

we can hear Jesus when he procalims his death, and w ecan respond in worship to him. no matter whos wacthing and what it will take for us to truely devote oursleves to him.

2. we can act like the disciples.

like the disciples we can be surrounded by jesus and his teaching lots and hear it all the time and get to a point to where we can so easily look past it. the death of Jesus has to mean something too us no matter how many times we hear it, and the way to maek sure it doesnt get hold to us is by responding in worship.

3. we can act like Judas

we can see Jesus, we can hear his word, and we can still reject him because he doesnt offer us what we truly desire.