She Has Done a Beautiful Thing

I have never been one to take personality tests. A friend shared a link to an enneagram test, and I think I got so bored halfway through it I didn’t finish. I don’t know what number I am. I don’t know what sign I am. Just the other day, on the phone with Geico, when I told the lady my birthday she commented that I must be a Libra. I didn’t know what to say. I should probably know that, but I don’t. Probably somewhere along the way I took a “spiritual gifts” test, but I can’t remember the results of that either.

But self-assessment isn’t bad. Self-awareness is good. The question is how do you evaluate yourself? Human beings have an incredible capacity to delude themselves. To use James’ analogy, we are masters at forgetting what we look like after we glance in the mirror. We are even capable of convincing ourselves to disbelieve something we know is true, if we want to bad enough. You’ve done it. Have you ever continued arguing for something, even after you knew you were wrong?

Matt Rehrer is a ER doctor and biblical counselor put it this way: “As a doctor, I have listened to over 15,000 hearts, but the hardest to diagnose is still my own.”

Now one of the ways the Bible helps us is by telling us stories where we can see and evaluate the behavior of others, and in observing others, we can see reflections of ourselves.

Think of Israel complaining in the wilderness. Paul says, “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.” (1 Cor. 10:6). Or think of Hebrews 12, where Christians are encouraged to run with endurance in light of the great number of faithful witnesses who came before us.

Stories about complainers should cause us to pause and ask ourselves, “Do I complain like them?” Stories about the faithful should cause us to pause and ask ourselves, “Am I faithful, like them?” In other words, Scripture helps us assess ourselves. Scripture is a mirror that enables us to evaluate our lives.

This morning, we are given a large mirror. You will see that as we study what’s happening in the text, we will get more than a historical look at the events. We will get an opportunity to do some soul searching and self evaluation.

I am going to read Mark 14:1-11, and we are going to ask ourselves, “who should we be like?”

So our first verses set the context. Verse 1, “It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.” This means it’s Wednesday. The Passover is Friday, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins at Passover. On Passover thousands of Jews would flood Jerusalem and sacrifice a passover lamb in memory of their freedom from bondage in Egypt.

In God’s providence, Jesus is about to be killed on Passover. What’s the point? God is making it crystal clear that Jesus is the passover lamb, Jesus blood saves us from the coming judgment.

Now, the chief priests and scribes have no idea this is what God is doing. It says, “And the chief priests and scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, for they said, ‘Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.” These religious leaders have been resolute in their determination to kill Jesus. Glance back at 3:6, where the Pharisees began conspiring with the Herodians to kill Jesus; or 12:12, where the Sanhedrin wanted to arrest Jesus but feared the people. Now their plan is to do it in the dark, secretly, by stealth.

You see, during Passover week thousands of Jews would come to Jerusalem and the city would swell. Many would stay in Jerusalem, many others in cities outside Jerusalem, some in tents outside Jerusalem. And it was actually somewhat common that during this boisterous week riots or uproars would break out. The religious leaders are concerned that the people riot if they kill Jesus this week. They want to wait until the feast week is over and then kill him. Well, as we’ll see in our text, they end up not waiting - why? Because they find they have an ally in Judas who moves things along quicker than anticipated.

So our first question is: should we be like these religious leaders? It’s a question so obvious it really doesn’t need asking. The answer is, of course, no.

Not all religious leaders should be imitated. Repeat: Not all religious leaders should be imitated.

These leaders are supposed to be masters of God’s word. They’re supposed to be teachers of God’s word. They’re supposed to be representatives of God’s message; they’re supposed to be examples for God’s people. And here’s the irony: they hate God.

They pray. They give. They study the Scriptures. They teach. They lead. They do it all in the name of God. But the actual God they profess to worship - they despise. How do I know this? God comes to them in the person of Jesus and they conspire to murder him.

According to 12:38-40, they love their position more than the God they supposedly worship. They love walking around in long robes, being greeted in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts. These men are supremely religious; but they are lost, God-hating, self-promoting children of hell. In Matthew 23 Jesus calls them snakes.

Listen, some of the most dangerous people on the planet are the nicest, the most respected, the most honored, the most revered, the most religious. They remind me of John Wither, the character in C.S. Lewis’ That Hideous Strength, who is old, gentle, nice; can’t say a mean word about anyone; but who is at the top of a demonic operation destroying people for “progress.”

Should we be like these religious leaders? No.

Next, should we be like the people? All we hear about them in our text is that they’ve gathered in Jerusalem, and that they might riot if Jesus was killed.

But if you trace the words “crowd” or “people” throughout the gospel, we actually come to learn a lot about these people. In general, they like Jesus. The crowds gathered initially because they heard powerful teaching and saw undeniable miracles. The crowd was with him almost wherever he went. In chapter 3 they crowded him so closely they could have crushed him. In chapter 4 they listened to his parables. In chapter 6 he fed the 5,000 men - probably 15-20 thousand people altogether. They flocked to him wherever he went, so that there were points he needed to retreat and get away. And when he finally entered Jerusalem in chapter 11, the crowds shouted his praises as he enters Jerusalem.

But we are never instructed to follow Jesus like the crowds followed him. In fact, I bring this up because I think many people in churches have a relationship with Jesus much like the crowds had a relationship with Jesus. The people in the crowds knew Jesus. The people in the crowds appreciated Jesus. The people in the crowds believed in his power to heal. They had even seen miracles. They liked Jesus. But they were not disciples.

And so many people today like Jesus. They appreciate Jesus. They believe, in one sense, in his power and his importance. But you couldn’t actually say they follow Jesus.

Listen, Jesus never called people to merely like him. Everybody likes Jesus. There will be scores of people in hell who liked Jesus. Jesus is not looking for fans. Or as one preacher put it, “Jesus is not looking for distant voyeurs.” Jesus is seeking devoting worshipers.

Is your relationship with Jesus kind of like your relationship with Santa? It’s sentimental. It’s fun. It makes you feel good. But no one would say you’re devoted to him. If your relationship with Jesus is just like the crowds - I want you to continue listening. We haven’t yet found our example. The people, even though they’d be upset if Jesus died, are not our example here.

We now move to verse 3. Now, in verses 3-9, this section where the woman anoints Jesus with expensive ointment, is a strategic flashback. According to John’s parallel passage, this actually happens on the Saturday night before Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. Mark includes it here because it provides a striking contrast. On one hand we have the religious leaders who want to kill Jesus. And on the other end we have Judas working with them for that same goal. But Mark wanted to show us a snapshot of beauty in the midst of it.

Verse 3 tells us where this event happened: at Bethany. Bethany was where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived. Also, apparently, it’s where a man called “Simon the leper” lived. John tells us that Jesus is there with his disciples, with Mary and Martha, even with Lazarus - who he had just raised from the dead. Simon is called the leper not because he had leprosy - if he did no one would be dining with him, but probably because Jesus had healed him of his leprosy sometime during his ministry. They’re all there.

It must have been a jolly, yet somber time. The tension was increasing. Jesus was about to go into Jerusalem the next day, where he had been telling them he was going to die. Simon - a man once leprous is there. Lazarus, a man once dead, is there. I would have loved to be at this meal. I mean, these people must have loved Jesus. They must have been amazed by Jesus.

And so we ask our next question: How about the disciples? Are they our example? The woman comes in in verse 3 and breaks the flask and anoints Jesus. And the text says in verse 4: “There were some who said to themselves indignantly, ‘Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.’ And they scolded her.”

The disciples, who had seen Jesus show compassion to the sick, forgiveness to sinners, power over demons; who had repeatedly witnessed evidence after evidence that he was God, when they see this woman’s act of devotion they snarl. In fact, that word “scolded” has the idea of a horse snorting. They rebuke her, they scold her.

Jesus is not saying his people shouldn’t care for the poor. Christians have always led the way in caring for the poor and oppressed. But he is saying that there is something more important than caring for the poor - caring for Jesus. In fact, isn’t that what Jesus taught about the greatest commandment? There’s only one thing more important than loving your poor neighbor as yourself - and that’s loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. That’s what this woman was doing, and that’s what upset the disciples.

Now, if you’re not a Christian, and you want to understand Christianity, you need to understand an implication of what’s happening here. Christianity is not mainly about being good people. Christianity is not mainly about helping the poor. Christianity is not mainly about a certain ethic. Christianity is mainly about Jesus Christ. It is mainly about knowing, believing, and trusting in Jesus Christ. If you want to know Christianity, don’t start by studying the behavior of Christians. Start by studying Jesus himself. Christianity is about a devotion to Jesus Christ.

We’ve seen them doing this amongst themselves, as they argue about who’s the greatest. But here, they turn on a woman in the midst of her worship to Jesus. This woman’s sincere devotion exposes the disciples’ lack of love, and the disciples don’t like it.

Sometimes Christians observe Christians sincerely serving Jesus, but rather than applauding them and celebrating God’s grace in their lives, they find fault. A woman pours out all she has, only to be nitpicked and snorted at by a group of self-righteous men.

Have you ever observed the sincere faithfulness of another believer, and in your heart you suddenly became a fault-finder? Do you scrutinize the obedience of others and examine how they could’ve done it better? Confess that sin to God, and trade your critical spirit in for an encouraging one. Celebrate the sincere devotion of other believers.

Church, we should not be like the disciples here - at least not in this instance.

What about Judas? Should we be like Judas? Judas was one of the disciples. We are not told much about Judas up to this point. John tells us that Judas was the treasurer, he kept the money bag for the group. Which is interesting, isn’t it? Apparently, he was trusted by the others.

John also tells us that Judas was the one who led the accusation against the woman, and suggested it could have been used for the poor. Interestingly, the other accounts indicate Judas wasn’t alone in thinking this, which means Judas held some measure of sway with the other men. He was the treasurer, and he influenced the others in his disappointment with the woman.

He had followed Jesus around now for three years. He had seen the miracles. He had heard the teaching - not only the public teaching the crowd received but the private teaching only the disciples got. And what’s more: Jesus sent Judas out to preach and to cast out demons in 3:15. Judas was in the inner circle of the 12, he had experienced the power of God in his life, he had spoken the truths of the gospel to others.

But look at verse 10: “Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them.” How quick the telling; how eternal the consequence! Why did he do it? Verse 11: “And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.”

He didn’t get recruited. He didn’t get coerced. He went to them. He initiated. Can you see the devilish smile on the lips of those religious leaders when Judas makes his offer. Judas wanted money. That’s what he did it for. “They promised to give him money.” It sounds pathetic, reading it there. But Judas, familiar with accounting, had done the calculations. He decided material possessions are more valuable than Jesus himself.

Jesus, who made all the creation, who will share its infinite riches with those who trust him, is betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. All creation could have been Judas’s, that’s what the Bible teaches - that those who trust in Jesus not only will have their sins forgiven but they will have infinite and eternal riches in glory with the entire universe as their playground. But Judas couldn’t see it. He was blind. And he chose a handful of coins instead; like a child giddy about crumpled Monopoly money but bored by the thought of a palatial estate of diamonds and gold.

There are people following Judas’ example every hour of every day, as they demonstrate with their lives that they prefer money and material possessions over Jesus himself.

I wonder if you prefer money and material comforts to Jesus? Does your life revolve more around getting and maintaining material comforts? Or does it revolve more around worshiping and adoring and serving Jesus Christ?

Judas did not treasure Jesus. Money was his treasure. What about you: do you treasure Jesus Christ? Are you filled with prayer and praise and wonder and delight in Jesus?

Is the way you’re raising your kids convincing them that Jesus is more satisfying than worldly comforts? How often are we like Judas, preferring the world and its acclaim over Jesus?

The answer is, “too often.” We are not to be like Judas.

Next, are we to be like this woman? The answer, of course, is yes. As soon as the disciples begin rebuking her, Jesus comes to her defense. Verse 6: “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.” Jesus describes her actions as beautiful. What she did was objectively good.

I want to point out five elements of her devotion that we ought to imitate.

First, she proactively pursued Jesus. Verse 3: “As he was reclining at table, a woman came.” John tells us that it’s Mary, but that isn’t necessary for Mark’s point in the story. Mark draws attention away from who did this, and points us to what she did. She came to him.

No one demanded this of her. No one forced her. In fact, no one else did anything like it. She considered her life, her love, and she resolved to express her love for Jesus by going to him.

True disciples pursue Jesus when no one else pressures them to. They love to do what pleases the Lord, and they are active in planning ways to do that. Their love is sincere. Their love is not forced. Their devotion is not merely a duty. They pursue Jesus because they love Jesus.

Second, she gave a very costly gift. It says she came in with “an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly.” When considering our devotion to Jesus, there is nothing so costly we can’t give it up to him. Nard is an oil that’s extracted from rare plants in Northern India. It’s very expensive. Actually, I looked up what a 16 ounce bottle of organic nard could cost today - you can purchase it for $3,952.73. The disciples assess the bottle could have been sold for 300 denarii - which is about a year’s wages - think somewhere in the range of $60-80 thousand. How did she get it? We don’t know. A family heirloom perhaps.

And there it goes, spilling onto the head of Jesus, dripping to the ground. A small fortune. Judas’ eyes must’ve gone buggy as he watched the liquid money spreading on the floor. All for Jesus.

There is no gift you can give to Jesus that is too costly. This is the example that Jesus calls beautiful. Costly generosity.

By today’s standards, Mary is $60-80 thousand dollars poorer as a result of this act. Would you call her irresponsible? And what would it look like for you to imitate her?

Look back in your life - have you ever given a costly gift to Jesus? Do you ever make decisions that people who don’t love Jesus simply could never understand?

In fact, consider this last week. Has your devotion to Jesus cost you anything? If your Christianity is simply you always doing what you want to do, while giving some lip service to Jesus, I don’t think you’re actually following him. Jesus said that following him will cost you everything. Has it cost you anything?

Third, she held nothing back. “And she broke the flask and poured it over his head.” Those vials were only used on extremely special occasions, and only once, so when you broke the flask, you used it all up. She poured it all out. She was exuberant in her devotion.

And look down at what Jesus says about it in verse 8: “She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.” I don’t know if the woman knew she was doing this. But Jesus demonstrates his knowledge of the future by predicting his own death and burial. He knew he was going to be treated as a criminal, and that criminals don’t get a proper anointing when they’re killed. And so he sees this woman’s act as preparation for his death.

Look at those words: “She has done what she could.” What she could do for Jesus, she did for Jesus. I wonder if that’s true of you? Are you doing all you can? And that’s a great way to put it. Jesus doesn’t require more than you have the ability to offer. What whatever you have in the wallet of your life, are you spending it for Jesus? Where are all your energies going?

My football coach in highschool used to use the phrase, “Leave it all on the field.” Meaning, when you come off the field at the end of the game, you want to be spent. You want to have nothing left. You want to have worked so hard, given so much, expend so much strength and energy that you have nothing left when the game’s over.

Isn’t that how we want to live our lives? How pathetic is it when an athlete runs half-heartedly. How much worse is it when a Christ lives half-heartedly! Our lives will soon come to an end - and life is meant to be spent for Jesus, not saved for self.

Who here wants to come to the end of our lives tortured with regret that we’ve wasted it?

Choose today to hold nothing back for Jesus. Give yourself to serving a local church. Give generously. Serve gladly. Love lavishly. Pray fervently. Adopt the “any time, any place, any thing” attitude. Jesus, I’m all in.

Fourth, she wanted nothing in return. She doesn’t want recognition. She doesn’t want praise. She doesn’t want to gain a higher standing with the group.

Some of us only want to serve Jesus in ways we know will have great impact. We want to serve only in high level places. We evaluate the ministry by the size of its impact. But this woman’s ministry is directly to Jesus and has no tangible impact. All it did was please the Lord Jesus Christ. And that counted for everything.

Some of you are doing little things because you know it pleases our Lord. If I never say thank you; if the elders never notice; if no one praises you: Jesus sees it. It is a beautiful thing to him. This woman cared more about pleasing Jesus than getting recognized.

Fifth, she reflected the gospel. V 9: “And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” Her devotion will be shared wherever the gospel goes. Why? Because her devotion is a picture of the gospel itself.

You see, this woman had come to grips with grace. She knew herself to be a needy sinner. She knew herself to be guilty before a holy God. And I think she knew Jesus was on his way to die. And she knew the meaning of his death - that she was dying to pay for their sins. And she was so struck by the love of Christ that she loved him in return.

Friends, take a look at the cross. Stare at it. Jesus died on the cross. He was treated like a criminal so that we could go free. He was punished like a sinner so that we might be forgiven. He suffered God’s holy wrath that we might experience love. If you’re a sinner, you need to know that Jesus died on the cross so that all your sins, all your crimes, all your guilt - could be completely forgiven.

When you believe the gospel, your life starts to look like the gospel. You want to follow Jesus, who in dying to himself made many rich. You are willing to leave comforts and conveniences for the sake of others.

I recently read about a man who moved his family to an unreached portion of his city to be a witness for the gospel there. People were surprised and asked him why. His response? “Jesus left everything for the sake of the mission…shouldn’t we also? If we have to leave jobs, family, friends, familiarity, our first culture, even our…home church that we love - to reach them, isn’t that still far less than he left for us?” A few years ago several people here, in this room, left their jobs, left their homes, left their comforts, and moved out here to serve this church.

It’s been said that Jesus is like a hurricane; the way you know he’s pulling you in is that you feel him sending you out. Out toward others in love, in generosity, in sacrifice, in evangelism, in discipleship. When the gospel hits you; it simmers in your heart; it marinates in your mind; it flavors your whole life. You become a living reenactment of the love of Christ.

Just a couple months ago Grace Simi (our sending church) received an anonymous check from a church member for $2 million dollars. Someone in that congregation’s been stunned by the glories of the gospel - and it’s showing.

They’ve been struck by the beauty of the gospel. I think some of you are like this woman. You love Jesus. And you will lay down your life in costly ways for his glory. And this is what all disciples do. Banish the little voices in your head that say, “Oh that’s too far. You’re overdoing it.” Go all in for Jesus.