Contrasting Views on Money

Matthew 26:6-16

Introduction:     Read verses.  This incident near the end of Jesus’ life gives us three different views of money.  Jesus taught a lot about money. But like many of his lessons, the disciples were slow to understand, at least to the point of practicing what he taught.  Some seemed to get his point, others didn’t.

I. The woman’s view

    A. Who was this woman?

         1. John 12:1-8 says Mary, sister of Lazarus and Martha, anointed Jesus similarly to this

         2. Luke 7:36-50 says a woman who was a great sinner anointed

         3. Matthew 26 & Mark 14 just say a woman with no description

    B. No amount of money is as valuable as Jesus

         1. Very costly ointment (perfume)

         2. Mark 14:5 says it was worth 300 denarii (almost a year’s wages)

         3. Even to a rich person this was a lot of money

         4. Extravagance - an excessive outlay of money (extravagant - exceeding the limits of reason or necessity)

    C. Money should be used to honor Jesus

         1. Having money just to have it is foolish

         2. Using money to honor Jesus is “good works” (Matthew 5:16)

         3. Luke 16:9

II. Disciples’ view

    A. Why this waste?

         1. Practical, thrifty, frugal   (Pat)

         2. Jesus, remember your story about the wasteful, prodigal son?

    B. There are so many needy that could have benefited

         1. We can always help the poor

         2. Economics of common sense vs. the economics of love

         3. Luke’s gospel mentions Jesus interacting with the poor more often than the other gospels

    C. Not spontaneous

         1. Creatures of habit - normally Jesus would have helped the poor

         2. Here was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that they couldn’t recognize

III. Judas’ view

    A. Money is worth more than life

         1. John 12:6 says he was a thief, and he would steal what was in the common purse

         2. He sold the life of the man he had been following for 3 years

    B. How you acquire money does not matter, as long as you get it

         1. Stealing

         2. Cheating

         3. Abusing people

    C. A little money is better than no money

         1. The value of 30 pieces of silver is uncertain

         2. Exodus 21:32  The price of a servant gored by an ox

         3. If this means silver shekels it equals 120 denarii or a little more than one-third of the value of the ointment

IV. Some lessons

    A. True love is both practical and extravagant

    B. Faith sometimes sees beyond “common sense”

    C. We should be looking for and acting on those once-in-a-lifetime opportune-ities.   “For so many of us the tragedy is that life is the history of the lost opportunities to do the lovely thing.”    Barclay

    D. A good work done to/for Jesus lasts into eternity  vs. 13

    E. Money is nothing more than a tool to be used in God’s service

Conclusion:  Jesus said this woman would be remembered wherever the gospel was taken.  Wouldn’t you like to be remembered as one who used your resources in service to the King?

Wichita, KS.  Central.  September 25, 2000.  PM.

Plaisance Church.  ECD, Guyana.  October 17, 2004.  PM.