What is Jesus Worth?
Notes
Transcript
It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.” 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. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 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. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 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.” Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.
It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread...
Setting up the scene. We are getting super close to the climax.
Passover… What is that?
They will share in a meal of the sacrificial lamb...
Where is this current true story headed?
A new Passover?
It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him,
for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.”
These guys are starting to get desperate. Jesus doesn’t make them very happy.
What kind of things have happened that would make these chief priests and scribes want Jesus dead?
Jesus has challenged their authority
Challenged their lifestyle
Challenged their teaching
Drawn more people towards Himself
SPIRITUAL
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.
So, other gospel accounts seem to point at this being Mary. But, it could be someone else. This is different from when Jesus has his feet washed with tears and hair.
Alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly =
There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that?
The “some” were disciples. So people who have been following Jesus and devoting their entire life to Him…
Here’s why…
For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her.
One denarii was a normal day’s payment for a normal worker.
$15 an hour times 8 = $120
$120 x 300 = $36,000
Soooo… This woman is pouring out over $36,000 on Jesus’ head…
Mark 8. The Anointing at Bethany (14:3–9)
Concern for the poor is understandable because making a gift to them at Passover time was a custom
What do you think about this??? What would you think??? What would you say???
But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
The word for “beautiful” can also mean morally good.
Thats what is being questioned here… Is what she doing morally good when there are hungry and cold people on the streets that can be served with the money they could make from selling the perfume…
Honestly, this whole thing makes me go “WHAT!!??”.
Just when you think you understand what Jesus is all about and what He would like… He goes and says something like this…
But, let me ask you a question…
What are some ways Jesus has cared for people leading up to this point??
MIRACLES. If Jesus’ ministry depended on money then he would tell a disciple to go fishing, catch the fish, open it up, and look in its belly. BOOM MONEY. Which is what he did to pay a tax.
Jesus’ mission isn’t dependent upon money!
His mission is dependent upon His FATHER’S PROVISION!!!
Everything I need. My Father has it!
So, its absolutely okay to pour out your money on Jesus.
He’s even worth infinitely more!!!
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.
You will not always have me…
Jesus is eluding to His upcoming betrayal and death…
The point is… The disciples won’t always have an opportunity to physically minister to Jesus. This woman saw the opportunity and seized it!
She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.
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.”
This woman saw how worthy Jesus is. She made a GREAT AND GRAND gesture showing she knows what He is worth.
But, Mark is trying to show us that this whole scene has something to do with what Judas does next…
Jesus’ response to the woman is SOOOOOO crazy to someone like Judas… The other gospel’s tell us that he was actually stealing money from the ministry. What was meant for the poor and to do Jesus’ work, he was using to make himself rich….
Judas might look like he cares about the poor. But, does he? Really?
Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them.
And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.
JUDAS LOVES MONEY! NOT THE POOR!
Judas trades Jesus for an opportunity to make money…
The woman traded an opportunity to make money for Jesus…
Who are we in this story???
The reality, is that God is working all things, even Judas’ greedy betrayal, for our salvation!
IT IS A BEAUTIFUL THING THAT THE WOMAN DID
AND IT IS A TERRIBLE THING THAT JUDAS DID
BUT ALL OF THIS IS PLAYING A PART THAT GOD INTENDS. AND JESUS IS IN ON IT!!
OUR SALVATION…
2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
JESUS KNOWS JUST HOW MUCH HE IS WORTH… YET, HE CONSIDERED YOU MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN HIMSELF
THIS WOMAN POURED OUT HER PERFUME FOR JESUS
JESUS HAS POURED OUT HIS LIFE FOR ME AND YOU
