Objective Worth

Introduction

Good morning church! As false spring hit us the last couple of weeks, it reminded me of something I can’t wait for. Lawn care season is upon us! I can’t wait. I mean, I really love the yard. They’re is something about stepping outside on a Saturday afternoon, firing up the mower, trimming the edges just right, and then standing back to see that deep green carpet stretch across the yard with the best stripes on the block. I’ll spend the money on good fertilizer and the highest quality grass seed. I’ll carve out the time, even when the schedule is packed. I’ll go so far to put it in the calendar twice a week. Why? Because to me, it’s worth it. A beautiful yard isn’t just grass, it’s peace, it’s order, it’s calming to my mind, it’s a little slice of “well done” in a chaotic world.

Now I know not everyone feels that way. Some of you young parents with a house full of toddlers think I’m crazy because your yard is mostly a battlefield of tricycles and sidewalk chalk, and you’d trade a perfect lawn for two hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Students in the room you’re probably investing your time and money in your gaming set up, wardrobe, coffee, concert tickets. Parent’s of teens you might be pouring everything into sports schedules or college savings. Empty nesters some of you finally have the time and now the yard has become your new hobby or maybe you’ve decided the lake house or the grandkids are where the real treasure is.

Here’s the point, what we value is deeply personal. What feels priceless to me might look like a waste of time and money to you. Our priorities are relative. They shift with our season of life, our budget, our personality.

But in Mark 14 this morning, we’re going to see something radically different. What if there is something that shouldn’t be relative, but it’s objective. Our main idea for this morning is that worship of Christ is not relative, it’s objective. We’ll see this unfold in 2 points, first verses 1-5 we see a Daring Devotion, and then in verses 6-11, we’ll see a Blessing and Betrayal.

Let’s open up our Bibles to Mark 14:1-11 and watch this beautifully, costly, objective worship unfold.

Point 1: Daring Devotion (v. 1-5)

After a long lesson on a what the disciples I’m sure were confused on from chapter 13, Mark turns the page over to a new day. At the same time, what Mark is doing is setting a transition for what we’ll experience over the next set of chapters. The focus narrows all the more in on the death of Jesus as the day draws nears.

It’s now two days before the passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, Wednesday of the passion week. The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were two of the major celebrations for the Jewish people. The feasts recall moments of the history of the people of Israel and their freedom from slavery in Egypt. This time of year was such a celebration that it’s believed that the population of Jerusalem would double as people from across the world would travel to celebrate the weekend. It’s like a Saturday in Lincoln during football and volleyball season when both teams host a home game. Memorial stadium alone becomes the third largest town across the entire state on these days and that’s not even counting those who are all out tailgating. It’s an explosion of people.

You can imagine the scene as Jesus has been teaching the last several days and the religious leaders are trying to prepare for the time of year and a preacher has come around who many are discussing his miracles, teachings, and how he might be the messiah. Many of the jewish people believed that the messiah would come around the passover.

The chief priests and scribes weren’t just being mean. They were terrified. Passover week turned Jerusalem into a powder keg of Messianic hope. One wrong move and the crowds would riot. So they whispered, “not during the feast…lest the crowds would be an uproar.” They wanted Jesus dead, but only if it didn’t cost them their status or safety.

But as we get some insight into the scenario that is happening in the hearts of the Sanhedrin, verse 3 takes us to a different scene. We’re taken to Bethany which is a town just about 2 miles outside of Jerusalem where we’re invited into Simon’s home. Simon is likely healed from leprosy knowing that they recline and eat in his home.

It’s a similar account to John 12 where we get some more detail, but John describes the date a little different. He says this interaction happens 6 days before the passover. It’s not that these contradict, but Mark isn’t giving us strict chronology here. He’s flashing back to this meal in Bethany to show us the two completely different way people responded to the same Jesus in the same week.

John helps us understand that this is right after Lazarus is raised from the dead and so this is probably a celebration meal together with Mary and Martha being around. Likely, Simon is actually their father as they recline to eat with one another.

You can imagine the joy filled in the room. The men together eating, spending time amazed at how Lazarus is alive, but rejoicing that he is still with them. They clamor with trying to figure out what happened, but at the same time reminisce and laugh over breaking bread.

Andrew is sharing stories making fun of Peter when they were kids while the majority laugh. Peter is pulling James aside as he tries to discuss how they can keep crowds from trying to gather around Jesus with the Passover so near. John in the corner journaling about the events that just happened.

And out of nowhere Mary bursts into the room falling at the feet of Jesus. Everyone caught off guard and in shock because the women were never to interrupt the men during a meal unless they were serving or bringing food. But Mary, she doesn’t care. She weeps at her Lord’s feet. It’s as if she’s rushed into guys night during city group and they’re watching the national title game having drinks, eating their nachos, and telling old stories and out of nowhere the sister runs into the room disrupting everything.

While they all try to figure out what’s going on, they carefully lean to see what she is doing all the more. They see a beautiful alabaster jar, carved from a single piece of soft, luminous stone from Egypt. It glows with the creamy, translucent white polished marble that’s no bigger than your hand. It’s rounded belly narrows to a long, slender neck, sealed tight to lock what’s inside.

Pure nard, thick dark, amber oil imported from the Himalayan mountains that was so strong even one whiff of this would fill the room with it’s beautiful aroma. This flask and it’s oil wasn’t just an everday piece of pottery, Mary was bringing forth a luxury, a family heirloom or hard earned dowry worth everything a laborer would make in a full years wages. To open it didn’t just mean taking the top off, it meant breaking it open and snapping that fragile neck with a sharp crack and she spilled out that treasure in one irreversible, costly pour.

As her tears of worship continue to rush down her face she finds the courage to stand and carefully pour the oil over her saviors head and as she draws back to her knees before him in worship the rest of the heirloom spilled over his feet as she wipes them with her hair.

A customary act would’ve been to simply give him a drop of oil on his head when he originally walked in, but she knew that Jesus was worth so much more. As her love for him moved her to the daring position of not just giving him a drop, but sacrificing it all. The room wasn’t just getting a hint of the melted scented candle, but it was saturated with the fresh elegant fragrance.

After the initial awe was shaken, Judas moves his way to the front near and shouts at Mary. “What are you doing? How could you use all of it? Why did you not give that over to us to sell? We could have given made a years wages and been set. We could have honored the poor during the passover and given them some? Why would you pour it all over Jesus?”

The rest of the room doesn’t disagree and the frustration upon them is not just inner turmoil, but becoming a whisper and commotion upon what was just filled with celebration now chaotic with indignation.

They all let loose on Mary as she weeps at the feet of Jesus. As she poured out her most precious possession and financial heirloom.

Explain

Why would she do such a thing? This moment of daring devotion was because of a heart that wasn’t just somewhat committed to Jesus, but Mary was overwhelmed by her love and gratitude of Jesus. He’s just raised her brother from the dead and now he feasts in her home. He’s once more demonstrated not just through miraculous works to others his power and authority, but now it’s personally been expressed all the more to Mary again. In fact, it’s every time we see Mary that we witness her devotion to Jesus is visible. When Jesus visit her and Martha, she’s at his feet listening while Martha is serving. When her brother dies and Jesus arrives, she’s weeping at his feet after losing her brother and now here once more overwhelmed by being near to Jesus she does not care about the social norms. She bows and worships her Lord.

We see Mary’s devotion is not just amazing to see on it’s own, but it lays out what she values. Society tells her she shouldn’t enter the room and that she would bring shame to herself unless she was serving them food. But Mary did not care and knew she needed to worship Jesus. The disciples told her that her family heirloom was worth money that could have been used better, but she knew that it was worth not keeping to herself, but to pour our and give it all to her savior. Mary’s daring devotion is not just something that is awe striking for one, but challenging for all. Because what she does here is demonstrates that Jesus is worthy of her treasure and her status.

But laid in contrast is the opening set of verses where the Sanhedrin don’t just reject Jesus, they are so caught up in keeping their power that they desire to kill him. They don’t want to give up the treasure of authority, they do everything to keep it. But it’s not even the fact that they want to keep to themselves that keeps them from worship. They succumb to the pressures of the people even. In fear that if they out right arrest Jesus without being discreet the people will revolt on them. They care about the perception among them and it leads them to privately think about how they could get away with his murder without disrupting the people and keeping their status.

Application Questions

The religious leaders as “how can we get rid of him without losing our position?” and Mary asks, “how can I give him every thing I have?”

Friends, what are we willing to risk for Jesus? Our reputation? Our comfort? Our finances? Our schedule? Or do we plot ways to keep him contained so he doesn’t upset our life too much?

The religious leaders whisper among themselves “not during the festival, so there won’t be a riot.” What do we whisper to ourselves? “Not with my budget right now…not when the kids are little…not if it costs me friends…”

What would total devotional look like for you this week? What would have to break, like the alabaster jar, for him to get all of you and your worship?

Mary’s devotion is daring because it doesn’t make sense to everyone else. To other’s it feels relative. My lawn, it give it the time and money because it’s worth it to me. But what if Jesus is worth more than any relative priority we have?

Point 2: Blessing & Betrayal (v. 6-11)

In response to a room of commotion as they badger Mary for her decision, Jesus speaks up. With the authoritative draw when he opens his mouth, the room turns to hear him clearly and everything grows quiet once more. He explains to them that they’ve got it all wrong. They have no idea what they’re saying and she has actually done something noble, not something that is shameful or lacks wisdom, but something that would be remembered. Jesus says “she has done a beautiful thing to me…she has done what she could. She has anointed my body before hand for burial.” In other words, Mary understood what teh disciples still missed. Jesus was about to die. And she gave everything she had to honor him before it was too late.

He explains to them that while the poor would do good from the gift, this moment is not like any other. Right now at this time, Jesus is present with them and they will not always have the incarnate physical presence of God with them. That at this time the matter of first importance is actually seeing Jesus and understanding who he is, the Son of God.

It’s not even just Judas who has it wrong. Because here, everyone in the room believes that how we worship Jesus is relative. They all scold her and are angry with her because to them, Jesus isn’t worth the oil. The money and worth of the oil could be used for such more. But to be broken, poured out, and sacrificed on Jesus? No, he’s not worth that!

In a powerful and compassionate instruction, Jesus points to them that Mary’s noble act is doing all that she could. As he once more mentions his death, but in this moment specifically mentions his burial he might confuse them once more even though he’s been telling them over and over again about his coming death. But he’s expressing that Mary didn’t just worship Jesus with her act, she understood Jesus and responded to him.

It’s almost as if her witnessing Jesus raise her brother from the dead made his teachings click. The lightbulb turned on as she wept with joy at the resurrection of her dead brother. His instruction on his own death and resurrection maybe at a glance began to make sense and knowing the time left with Jesus was short lived it drove her to pour out her treasure upon him all the more. The story would be so powerful that it wasn’t just a distant memory for those present to remember and fade away with time, but that her understanding and worship of Jesus would be told for ages to come. So memorable that it makes its way in quiet times, bibles studies, sermons, workshops, and more across the globe even 2000 years later.

Mark now pulls us out of the flashback and back to Wednesday. The same man who watched Mary pour out a year’s wages now slips out to sell Jesus for one month’s wages, 30 pieces of silver.

After everything he’s witnessed, after being called by Jesus, following him for years, being near to him as they travel, lessons and miracles before his eyes, Judas still was far from him even in his proximity. Here, the betrayal of Jesus would start to set it. The Sanhedrin was overwhelmed with gladness that in their deal, they promised him money for his breach of trust. And now, it’s not just the Sanhedrin scheming for an opportunity to arrest Jesus, Judas now too looks for an opportunity to betray him.

The contrast between Mary and Judas jumps off the page to us.

Mary was a woman with no standing and Judas a man and apostle of Jesus.

Mary gives what she could to Jesus. Judas took what he could get for Jesus.

Mary blessed her Lord and Judas betrayed him.

Mary loved Jesus and Judas used him for his own gain.

Mary served Jesus as her savior. Judas sold him like a slave.

Mary’s noble act would be forever remembered. Judas’ notorious betrayal is remembered.

Mark’s highlighting this flash back memory as the plot to arrest and kill Jesus is focused in on this centerpiece of Mary’s sacrifice and worship because to everyone else, Jesus is worth only what they think he’s worth. They’re worship of Jesus is relative to them. They clamor and shout because he’s not worth a years wages they could have gotten, he’s not worth giving up a family heirloom, he’s only worth 30 pieces of silver.

The whole point is coming to the tension and showing us that our worship of Christ is not relative, it’s objective.

Jesus demonstrates this as two stories of women giving everything they have in their worship of God. In Mark 12:44 “she out of her poverty has put in everything she had—all she had to live on.”” and it’s almost exactly what he tells them of Mary’s sacrifice Mark 14:8 “She has done what she could; ”

The act of worship is not partial worship, it’s not relative like giving him what we think he’s worth and to someone else they can give up as much as they think Jesus is worth. They both give all that they have and worship him entirely.

Romans 12:1–2 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.”

I had a buddy in college who was an international student and because of the rules with international students they couldn’t really make money. So he was always doing odd jobs for cash for people so he could pay rent and groceries. But he would often tell me about how he didn’t have much to live on and we would pray for God to provide. But every Sunday we’d sit in church and when they passed the plate for the time of giving, he would pull out $20 which is pretty much all he would have to his name and I asked him one time why he would do this if he needed to get his groceries. His response changed the way I view my finances forever. “Jesus deserves everything I have right now. If I don’t give when I have little, i’ll never give when I have a lot. He will provide to get me my milk another way.”

It’s not just how we give financially to the kingdom either. A few years ago I visited a man, Bob Allensworth just a few weeks before he went to be with Jesus. Bob was a man who loved to serve the Lord. He would clean the windows of the building, volunteer to clean up, serve, pray with people, share the gospel. This man was a doer and devoted to serving God with his life. But as I sat in his living room, he was in tears because he couldn’t get out of his house due to his bad health. He wept and felt at a loss. But begged me that day to share a list of prayer requests with him because he said “i can’t serve like I used to, but I know I can pray for God’s people.”

Application Questions

Church, what might it be in your life that is keeping you from worshipping God with your entire life? How are you looking at Christ like your worship is relative and just partial?

What’s the thirty pieces of silver in your life right now?

Is it maybe a relationship with boyfriend or girlfriend that is not honoring God. He can have your Sundays, but not your purity.

Is it your financial security, comfort, greed, or retirement dreams that whispers “not everything Lord, just most areas of life.”

In what areas are you still treating Jesus like a good add on instead of the only treasure worth breaking the jar for?

What would it look like this week to break the alabaster jar in your own life to give to Jesus the one thing you’ve been holding back?

What if we stop asking “how little can I give” and start asking “how much of my time, money, attention and affection can I possibly pour out on the one who is infinitely worthy?

Here’s the good news, when our worship turns to inward we have the example of the one who perfectly laid it all out. Jesus having all riches in heaven, complete comfort in peace, left it all to offer it all for you and me. Jesus who was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver is the same one who gave his own body and blood for you. He offered himself up fully knowing it would cost him his ver life. He chose to take upon your sin while giving you the riches of his righteousness. Jesus deserves all worship and invites us to worship him with everything not to shame us or take from us. But because he deserves it. He is worthy and becasue of his grace changes us we too respond like Mary. We don’t just look at the resurrection of her brother and are compelled to offer him all things. We look at Jesus resurrection and the one awaiting us and because of that, we pour out our praise and full hearts to him.

Our worship of Jesus is not relative like the earthly things we are passionate about and spent our time on money one. Our worship of Jesus is object. Completely devoted, poured out, whole hearted lives that sacrifice in true worship to the one who is infinitely worthy.