“Virtues of Worship”
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION.
1 Now the Passover and Unleavened Bread were two days away; and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to seize Him by stealth and kill Him;
2 for they were saying, “Not during the festival, otherwise there might be a riot of the people.”
3 While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head.
4 But some were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted?
5 “For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they were scolding her.
6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me.
7 “For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me.
8 “She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial.
9 “Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.”
10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to betray Him to them.
11 They were glad when they heard this, and promised to give him money. And he began seeking how to betray Him at an opportune time.
MESSAGE.
The first of these three are the chief priests and scribes. The chief priests were in high potion in the hierarchy of priest and Levities. The scribes were those who knew the law well. Maybe even like a secretary today. With that in mind let’s look back at verse one of chapter fourteen. Mark 14:1 “1 Now the Passover and Unleavened Bread were two days away; and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to seize Him by stealth and kill Him;” We read that the Passover and Unleavened Bread were only two days away. The Passover was one of the festivals that required everyone to come to Jerusalem to the temple for worship and sacrifice. This was a festival to remember their exit out of Egypt and the last plaque the death angel and how the death angel passed over the Israelites.
1 Now the Passover and Unleavened Bread were two days away; and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to seize Him by stealth and kill Him;
With the idea that the Passover and Unleavened Bread were only two days away you think that the chief priest and scribes would be preparing themselves and for the festival and worship of God. You also would think they would be preparing for the great influx of people. But no that is not what they were doing. They were wasting time and plotting away to take Jesus and kill Him.
The chief priests and scribes should have known who Jesus was. He full filled all the prophecy from Scripture. But they were blinded by their own jealousy for power and rule. Their bitterness had overtaken them. They responded in disbelief. They did not worship Jesus but wanted Him silenced.
The second is Simon the leper and the women who anointed Jesus’s head. Simon the leper most likely was healed from leprosy by Jesus. Out of his gratitude and appreciation he hosted Jesus for a meal. He most likely wanted to honor and thank Jesus for healing him and giving him his life back. Lepers would have to leave their family, friends, and jobs. They had to be isolated from everyone. So, when they were healed, they would be allowed back into worship, family, friends, and work. They would be restored and given their life back.
Mark does not give us the woman’s name, and really it is irrelevant. What is relevant are her actions. Now we see that the woman came to where Jesus was and brought some very expensive perfume. Mark tells us it was pure nard. We talked a little last week about that. In verse five we are told Mark 14:5 “5 “For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they were scolding her.” This would have been more than a years wages for a common worker. The woman brought the vial of perfume and broke the vial and poured it over Jesus’s head. Emptying the vial on Jesus.
5 “For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they were scolding her.
We also learn that some in the group were unhappy and were reprimanding her for her actions and act of worship. Once again, we hear the words of “this could have been sold and given to help the poor.” I cannot help and wonder if they were so concerned for the poor how many were already giving to the poor.
Jesus corrected them. Mark 14:6 “6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me.” Jesus received her worship and blessed her. Jesus informed those that where there that anytime they wanted to help the poor they could. But He would not always be there with them. You see there will come a time that Jesus is not available. Once you die the opportunity to choose Him is gone it is over. Choose Him now while you can. Also, Jesus was once against telling them of His impending death, now only a few days away.
6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me.
Jesus commends her act of worship. There was more to her act of worship than even she knew. Jesus points out in verse eight that she was anointing His body for burial a head of time. This has great significance and prophecy to it. Jesus was crucified on the day of preparation the day before the Sabbath. On the Sabbath work was not allowed. Because of His death being then there would be no time for preparing His body after death for the tomb. Jesus even rewarded her worship by saying in Mark 14:9 “9 “Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.””
9 “Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.”
The third person is that of Judas Iscariot. Judas was one of the twelve. He was an apostle chosen by Jesus. He was in the close circle of Jesus and his teaching. Again, of anyone who should know and worship Jesus it would have been Judas. But instead, we see him acting out of selfishness. He was wanting Jesus to be an earthly king and ruler. Judas was booking out for what he thought Jesus could give him and do for him. Now realizing that Jesus was not going to do anything for him he wanted to help get rid of him. Judas a friend of Jesus went to the chief priest and scribes and was willing to betray, to hand over, Jesus to them. He was willing to hand Jesus over for thirty pieces of silver, the going rate or the cost of a common slave.
Then Judas began focusing on how he could deliver or hand Jesus over when not many people were around. For the chief priests did not want a large crown around. They were afraid of the crowd rioting and defending Jesus.
We have looked at the actions of three different groups or people. Now I would like to take a few moments and look at the act of worship from the woman who anointed Jesus. Of all three the woman was the one received and accepted by Jesus. I would like to point our three virtues of worship.
1. The Virtue of Boldness.
The virtue of boldness is that of willing to take risk and have confidence and courage. Boldness helps you to stand against or in opposition to another.
The women in this story had to have the virtue of boldness. She was a woman, and women where not allowed to take place in the meal, they were allowed to serve. Here we see the woman coming in not to serve food but to worship Jesus. She came in and went before everyone to anoint Jesus. Here Mark tells us that she poured the vial of perfume on His head. Remember they were reclining, the feet would have been the easy thing to get to. Also, anointing the head was a act done to designate one as king. It was sign of affection and love. While the chief priests and scribes and many others was against Jesus the woman openly anointed Jesus. She was will to take a risk and go against or in opposition to the culture for women and what many were doing.
2. The Virtue of Total Surrender.
The woman brought with her an alabaster vial of very costly perfume. Let me remind you that those there mentioned it could be sold for MORE than a year’s wages. The woman was totally surrendered to Jesus in her worship. She did not come and just pour some on His head. She did not anoint Him with some and kept some for herself. The end of verse three clearly tells us that, Mark 14:3 “3 . . . and she broke the vial and poured it over His head.” that is total surrender. She broke the vessel holding the expensive perfume and poured it on His head. All of it no way to take any back or save any. She surrendered; she gave Him all.
3 While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head.
3. The Virtue of Service.
The woman came in and anointed Jesus. She in her worship was preparing Him for burial. Jesus received her worship. Her act of kindness was more than she knew. Mark 14:6 “6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me.” Jesus was saying what she had done was a good deed or great act to Him. There is more to worship than lip service. The woman had to physically come to where Jesus was, she had to pour the perfume, she had to break the vial.
6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me.
CONCLUSION.
