Leaving a Lasting Legacy

Intro:

This county has left quite a legacy on the world.

Leaving a legacy.

How do you leave a legacy. How do you do something that will be remembered?

We we think about legacy we think about dying and we often wonder how much time we have left. which is where our story picks up.

Story:

Sometimes you just don’t realize how much time you have with someone. I remember the last time I ate with uncle Rob.

The disciples for better and for worse do not realize that they only have a few more fleeting moments with Jesus.

Look at verses 1 and 2. The disciple do not understand at this point that this is the reality.

Where are they? What are they doing?

tell the story focus on the cost of the jar.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 14:3

alabaster jar, a small stone flask with a long slender neck, containing about a pint of costly perfume (lit., “ointment”) made of pure (unadulterated) nard, an aromatic oil from a rare plant root native to India.

The NET Bible First Edition Notes Notes for 14:3

Nard or spikenard is a fragrant oil from the root and spike of the nard plant of northern India. This aromatic oil, if made of something like nard, would have been extremely expensive, costing up to a year’s pay for an average laborer.

12 to 16 oz of perfume according to RC Sproul.

There is no reason a woman would have something this costly unless she came from a wealthy house. It could have been a family heirloom.

Also note the house they are in and what the people think of this gift.

They snorted at her it is a Greek word used of horses. Whenever you are making animals sounds I would say you are unreasonably upset.

Application: verses 6-7 Why do we trouble people who are trying to do something good for God?

Connect this to the Calvary students who go to our church.

Jesus does not look at the wisdom of practicality of this situation but at the desire of the woman to do a beautiful thing for Him.

When was the last time you did something beautiful for the Lord?

The Lord loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor 9:7 not a careful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:7 CSB

Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.

In rabbinic logic, almsgiving was considered to be less praiseworthy than burying the dead because the former was done to the living while the latter was extended to the dead. Alms-giving could be done any time; preparing a body for burial bad to be done when the need arose. therefor, one can conclude that what this woman did was better than almsgiving because it was done to one who was as good as dead.

There are a couple of flash backs in this story.

Jesus says, she has done what she could.

Verse 8 literally: “What she had she did” related to Mark 12:44 She put in all she had to live on.

The parallels between these two women become clearer by translating it literally. The widow threw everything she had into the treasury. Now this women pours out everything she has on Jesus. Both women stand in contrast with the men around them.

A disciple, Judas will betray Jesus for whatever money he can get. Not 300 denarii but only 30 pieces of silver.

2. The cost of the bottle was 300 denarii.

Connect 300 denarii with 200 denarii at the feeding of the 5,000.

They still think they need the money. They don’t see that Jesus is all they need that He can provide for them and for the poor.

She was not looking to get anything back from God she only wanted to give to Jesus.

If you want to leave a legacy behind than you must do what you do for Jesus.

Give what you have to Jesus.

So often we focus on our children or our careers and not on Jesus.

Noah and Ellie wedding. Groomsman, “I am supposes to be a professional christian and I am not doing this.”

The only lasting legacy is one that is connect to Jesus.

Mark 14:8–9 CSB

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.”

I was thinking about my own life and I noted that the people who have made the greatest impact on me where not necessarily trying serve me or give to me but they did what they did for me as if they were doing it for the Lord.

What you do for your children will last a generation or 2, what you do for this country will last hopefully as long as this country endures which I hope will be a many more years. What you do for Jesus is an eternal legacy.

I would rather say it this way, “What you do for your children will leave a little legacy, what you do for your county will leave a longer legacy, what you do for Jesus will leave a lasting legacy.”

What you have, do for Jesus and leave a lasting legacy.