Solabron Sermon May 22

Introduction: What would you do for Jesus?

Mark 14:1–11 CSB

It was two days before the Passover 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.” 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 and given to the poor.” And they began to scold her. 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.” Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. And when they heard this, they were glad and promised to give him money. So he started looking for a good opportunity to betray him.

The Company of Jesus.

We want to be in the company of Jesus, but we also need to consider the company that he kept.

He was at the house of Simon the Leper.

Clearly indicates a previous interaction Jesus had with this man.

This man understood the transformative power that an interaction with Jesus can have on your life.

Who else was at this dinner? John 12:1-8 seems to tell the same story.

John 12:1–8 CSB

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there; Martha was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took a pound of perfume, pure and expensive nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped his feet with her hair. So the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot (who was about to betray him), said, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it. Jesus answered, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial. For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

The question that we ought to ask ourselves if we find ourselves in the company of Jesus?

Have we been saved? Do we have a relationship with Him?

We also see that a relationship with Jesus changes them. They all had interactions with Jesus that changed their life.

Can we see this life change in our life?

A Great Gift

The woman came with an alabaster Jar of expensive perfume and broke it and anointed Jesus.

Some things we can note about this:

This was a costly gift. It was worth one years wages. She took this and used all of it on Jesus.

There was nothing that this woman was going to withold from Jesus, but rather gave the most valuable gift to him that she could think of.

This reminds me of the woman who gave her last penny, and Jesus praised her as being the one who gave with a sincere heart.

In contrast we have the story of the rich young ruler.

The Judging Attitude

They judged the woman because of her gift.

It was said that what she had given could have been used for a better purpose.

Isn’t criticism something that can always occur? Isn’t there always a way to poke holes in what someone has done?

Sometimes this may be correct, sometimes they may miss the bigger picture.

They judged her actions, and not her heart.

Her actions based upon what they perceived to be the best thing, but in doing that, they missed the real important thing.

They were more focused on the way that she loved and worshipped Jesus than doing it themselves.

Jesus judged her heart in the matter.

What situations do we face where we judge peoples actions rather than their heart?

Not to be mistaken… People’s actions often can lead to their heart in the situation.

We should disciple when there are genuine discrepancies in way of living and claim of faith.

As i believe is true in this situation as well. She took what she had that was costly and poured it all our for Jesus.

The Result of a Jaded Heart

Judas goes to betray Jesus.

If we do not have a heart that has been transformed by Jesus, we will find ourselves living in a way that is opposed to him.

We see this passage bookended by those with Jaded hearts.

The pharisees tried to kill Jesus because of their Jealousy of him.

Judas went to betray Him for his own evil reasons.

Living a life that is focused on self, and judging others, rather than seeking Jesus with all we are will lead to a jaded and sour heart.

From all of this we need to make sure that:

We know Jesus. That we have a relationship with him. That we have been transformed by Him.

That we focus on giving him our all, and not worrying as much about what others are doing.