Emptied and Poured Out

Three very unique characters in today’s story.

Mary, Judas and Jesus

They have entered the city of Jerusalem during the Triumphal Entry and have now settled in the home of Simon the Leper. Simon the Leper didn’t forget what Jesus had done for him and has invited Jesus as a guest to his home for a meal.

According to John, Martha, Mary, Lazarus and some of the disciples including Judas were present. No meal around Jesus was a simple meal.

People were watching. As if he were a criminal, the Jews had people in his presence watching and reporting back to the council his every move.

They waited. They wanted to catch him in just the right circumstances that they might accuse him of a high crime. Better if the crime was against Rome, but nevertheless, a crime. So they waited.

Last week we spoke of war and rumors of war. Jesus is coming to take over, usher in His kingdom. The disciples will be set up as rulers and given territory and authority. Simple fisherman now made kings!

They were right, they will be given authority and power from on high. Just not as they anticipated. They also watch Jesus. All this talk about death and burial.

But Jesus has work left to do. Jesus has a task at hand that is still misunderstood. Beside the cross he must sure up these disciples. He must help them see His sacrifice is the fulfillment of the law. The law will be fulfilled in their presence and a new covenant is beginning. One promised from old.

Mary is present. Martha is probably cooking, but Mary is near Jesus. She watches him, she studies him. She loves him. She senses something is different. All this talk of going away. Going where? Would He leave her and her sister? He raised brother from the dead, would he just walk out?

No that’s not it she thinks. It is something else. In the pit of her stomach, she senses something terrible is going to happen. How will she talk to him about it? She, female, really shouldn’t talk to Him.

Judas is in the corner. He also watches. He thinks, I don’t know if I really like this fellow. He hangs with Peter and John a lot. Leaves me on the outskirts. I’m not sure we see eye to eye.

When Mary cannot contain herself any longer, she does something extravagant, she wants to hide it but she can’t and shes afraid she will run out of time. What if he leaves and she doesn’t get to express her feelings for Him? So she tries to quietly give of an offering, a sacrifice really. She has this perfume. Its expensive. It comes from India. It may have been a gift, it may have been something she saved for, or, she could have taken her savings and purchased it knowing in the pit of her stomach, she must act on His behalf and do it now. So she broke open the flask and poured it on Jesus head, John says his feet, and she wiped the oil with her hair, and in her eyes and his eyes to it seems, what she has done is well accepted. She emptied a costly perfume, she really emptied herself onto Jesus. What a beautiful picture of love poured out, of sacrifice, of surrender.

Judas on the other hand! Why?! WHY?! Why was this done, Jesus we could have sold this and think of all the poor we could have fed. Tell her to get back! As a matter of fact, why don’t you let me have any other surprises and I’ll put them here in the treasurers belt for safe keeping. Judas, let her be, what she has done, she has done in preparation of my burial. Yeah, here we go again with the burial, I’m going away, talk. In his mind he thinks, again you have embarrassed me in front of the crowd. I’m not going to forget.

As a matter of fact, Judas now seeks to do something about this Jesus. He is, lets say entrepreneurial in his endeavors, and seeks how he might profit form this situation. So he goes to the Chief Priests and they make a deal. Judas fills himself. He fills himself of pride, jealousy, envy, hatred and the like. He is seeking his own.

Paul says of Jesus post the crucifixion in

Philippians 2:5–8 NKJV

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Who displayed a likeness of Jesus more; Mary or Judas? Why?

For Jesus work, the Father said

Philippians 2:9–11 NKJV

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Did you here that? Every knee shall bow to Him. EVERY. EVERY. In Heaven, on earth, and under the earth. What Jesus has done in sacrificing himself for us the Father redeemed. What Jesus did in sacrificing His will, the Father redeemed and set on His right hand. What Jesus has done sacrificing and earthly kingdom, the Father has redeemed all mankind through and by the sacrifice of this one man all can be saved.

Judas was the polar opposite. All for me!

Mary, well, she emptied herself in an act of love. She did it in the attempt to show Christ the depth of her commitment and to make a real sacrifice. Her work is written for all to hear. But I think there is more. I like the words of Cece Winans in her song Alabaster Box, i think she captures Mary’s heart:

The room grew still As she made her way to Jesus She stumbled through the tears That make her blind She felt such pain Some spoke in anger Heard folks whisper There's no place here for her kind Still on she came Through the shame that flushed her face Until at last she knelt before his feet And though she spoke no words Everything she said was heard As she poured her love for the master From her box of Alabaster And I've come to pour My praise on Him like oil From Mary's Alabaster Box Don't be angry if I wash His feet with my tears And I dry them with my hair You weren't there the night He found me You did not feel what I felt When He wrapped His loving arms around me And you don't know the cost Of the oil in my Alabaster box I can't forget the way life used to be I…

I can't forget the way life used to be I was a prisoner to the sin that had me bound And I spent my days Poured my life without measure Into a little treasure box I thought I found Until the day when Jesus came to me And healed my soul with the wonder of His touch So now I'm giving back to Him All the praise He's worthy of I've been forgiven and that's why I love Him so much

And I've come to pour My praise on Him like oil From Mary's Alabaster Box Don't be angry if I wash His feet with my tears And I dry them with my hair You weren't there the night He found me You did not feel what I felt When He wrapped His loving arms around me And you don't know the cost Of the oil in my Alabaster box

Hebrews 4:15 NKJV

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

John 10:33 NKJV

The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”