“Give of Your Best to the Master”

Series: The Gospel Truth

Text: Mark 14: 1-11

Introduction: (What?)

In the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4 we find one person giving something while the other gives the very best they have to God. “At the designated time Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground for an offering. But Abel brought some of the first born of his flock---even the fattest of them. And the LORD was pleased with Abel and his offering, but with Cain and his offering he was not pleased.”Gen. 4:3-4

Whose tribe are you in, the tribe of Cain or the tribe of Abel? Is God getting your best or the rest after you keep the best for yourself?

Examination: (Why?)

1. The plot thickens (vv 1-2)

The Jewish religious leaders have been plotting for some time to get rid of their nemesis, Jesus Christ. As millions gather in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration, their plot begins to take shape. Our text actually puts a date to the event.

“It was two days before the Passover (which would make it on a Tuesday) 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.’”

The Passover, as most of you know is a commemoration of the time in Egypt when God commanded the Jews to kill a spotless lamb, take the blood and paint it on the doorposts and lintel (top piece) of their door frame. This would be a sign to the death angel, dispatched by God and tasked with killing the first born of each household and of each herd or flock, to skip over (passover)that household. The Passover began on the 14th day of Nisan (the first month of the Jewish Calendar). In 2022 the dates are April 15-23. In Jewish culture a day runs from sunset to sunset, consequently the slaying of the passover lamb would begin on Thursday evening. Jewish historian, Josephus puts the time of the slaughtering of the lamb beginning at 3 p.m. which is the time when Jesus actually died on the cross and ending about 5 p.m. (sunset)

In Matt 26:2 Jesus, after giving several parables pointing to “the Day of the LORD”, mentioned to His disciples “You know that the Passover takes place after two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” That means that at the same time the religious leaders were plotting Jesus’s death, He was telling His disciples that it was coming. All of the events of the Passion story including the Last Supper, the prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, the betrayal of Jesus by Judas, His arrest, faux trials, flogging, crucifixion, death and burial, took place between sundown on Thursday and sundown on Friday. The religious leaders had specifically said that they did not want these events to happen during Passover…and yet they did. Who do you suppose was in charge of the actually time-line of these events? We must remember that nothing happens without God’s direction or his allowing it to happen. Also God uses whom He chooses to accomplish His purposes.

2. The Generous Gift (vv 3-9)

The scene now shifts backwards to the previous Saturday. Mark records Peter’s recollection of an event that took place in Bethany at the home of a man named Simon whom Jesus had healed from leprosy.

“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 (almost a year’s wage)and given to the poor.’ And they began to scold her.”

While Mark did not give the name of the woman, John, who was also present, said in Jn 12:3 that this was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who were also at the meal. From past recordings of her devotion to Jesus, I would say that John is correct. John also noted that Judas was the instigator of the indignant conversation regarding the “waste” of the perfume. However, the other disciples joined in. Understand this; there will always be those who criticize your acts of love toward Jesus and His church. The criticism may well come from within the membership of the church.

This gift was precious to Mary. Most likely it was her dowry. (dowries were paid to the family of the groom in those days) It was the most expensive thing she had, and was irreplaceable (she broke the jar). When Jesus saw her act of love and heard the discussion that followed it, He spoke up.

“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.’”

John McArthur notes that the poor would most likely have never seen the money from the sale of the perfume if in fact that had happened. Judas, the treasurer of the disciples, could likely have embezzled all of it. Also the disciples, most of whom were poor themselves, were dependent on the gifts given to the group for their provisions. That is probably why they entered in to the conversation. Jesus pointed out something that probably would not fly well in our society today. There will always be poor people, and you can help them whenever you choose. Our government has the idea that they can do away with poor people by making them dependent upon the government. Many Christian denominations are known for their social ministries aimed at helping the poor. Mother Theresa was known for her giving all she had for the poor. Jesus did not condemn this, but rather He pointed to a higher cause. He linked the unselfish act of Mary to the gospel.

Missionary Hudson Taylor gave up what could have been a lucrative medical career in London and the woman to whom he was engaged, to go to China to spread the gospel. C.T. Studd, a professional athlete (cricket) gave up fame and fortune to take the gospel to China. Whatever you give in the way of money, time or talent for the cause of the gospel will rank high in the eyes of God.

3. The snake in the grass (vv 10-11)

Evidently the unselfish act of Mary pushed Judas Iscariot over the edge. He was the only disciple who was not from Galilee, hailing from a small town (Kerioth) located about 23 miles south of Jerusalem. John McArthur wrote that Judas clearly had no spiritual interest in Jesus, but rather saw Him as a potential political leader who would deliver the Jews from Rome. He expected his association with Jesus to bring him power, wealth and prestige. He is perhaps best described in Hebrews 6:4-6 “For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit, who tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age, and who have fallen away.” Judas was certainly “enlightened” in that he sat under the teaching of Jesus. He had “tasted the heavenly gift” in that he experienced, along with the other disciples, the goodness of God. He “shared in the Holy Spirit” in that he participated in the missionary assignments of the 12 and the 72 and saw the power of the Holy Spirit move through them for the casting out of demons and the healing of the sick. He “tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age” in what he saw, heard and experienced in the presence of Jesus. And yet, in the face of all this, Judas chose to go his own way rather than follow the way of the Master. Because of this choice, he became the “son of destruction” whom Jesus referenced in his High Priestly prayer in John 17:12 “While I was with them, (the disciples) I was protecting them by Your Name that You have given Me. I guarded them and not one of them is lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture may be fulfilled.” This is evidently a reference to Judas. There is one other mention of the “son of destruction” found in 2 Thess. 2:3 “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day (the day of the LORD) will not come unless the apostasy (falling away) comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.” This is evidently a reference to the Anti-Christ. Judas then is not in good company. However, let me say that all who have been taught the Good News and who may have followed Christ for a time and yet turn away are also in company with both Judas and the Anti-Christ…doomed to destruction.

Application: (How should I respond to this message?)

Which of the two personalities in this message do you most identify with: Mary, who gave of her best to her Master, or Judas who walked among believers along with Jesus and yet betrayed Him in the end?

Are you guilty of having an agenda that seeks to benefit from church membership in ways other than salvation and service?

Do you try to manipulate Jesus into doing your bidding rather than obediently doing His will without question?

It is not too late for you to repent and surrender to Jesus. However it is dangerous to assume that you will have another opportunity. When Judas tried to get out of his dastardly deal with the Jewish leaders, it was too late. He couldn’t undo what he had done. Don’t go the Judas route. Choose, as Mary did to give of your best to the Master.