Untitled Sermon

The Fragrance of a King

Key Passage for this series:

Matthew 7:24-27

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Turn in your Bible to Mark 14

Mark 14:1-11

1 Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.” 3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. 4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. 6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” 10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. 11 They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

This passage is mentioned in all 4 of the 4 Gospels

Matthew 26 Mark 14 Luke 7 John 12

similar story in Luke 12 (the one where Martha is being the hostess and Mary is at Jesus’s feet)

Matthew & John were likely THERE - John is the only one who names her

Title: The Fragrance of a King

Pray!! Lord, Help us smell like YOU!!

This next part will be important later (this is on the test)...

The book of Mark is mainly concerned with answering a single question: Is Jesus the Jewish Messiah?

Mark 1:1

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God

What is a Messiah?

A royal figure that Israel was expecting to come and set up a kingdom here on earth.  Ruled by Romans, they thought he would overthrow Rome and rule as King.

3 Thoughts on Mary’s Act of Worship

1. Posture Matters

Context:

Jesus is an itinerant rabbi - they would go town to town preaching asking no pay in return In return, people were expected to open their homes It was a privilege, and even expected, to host them in your house

“Let your house be a meeting place for the rabbis, and cover yourselves in the dust of their feet, and drink in their words thirstily" Yoze Ben Yoezer (2nd century BC)

Jesus said “I am the WATER of LIFE”

Two schools of thought on this quote:

walking so close to your rabbi as you traveled to learn from him that you would be covered in the dust as he walked sitting on the floor, as a way of honoring the rabbi and submitting to his teaching either way, but John 12 talks about Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet while he taught...

Acts 22:3 (TLV) - (Paul talking)

3 I am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, trained strictly according to the Torah of our fathers, being zealous for God just as all of you are today.

side note: Gamaliel was the Grandson of Hillel (whose school of thought most theologians believe Jesus subscribed to)

How cool would that have been to be there? (Close your eyes and imagine being there…)

John 12:1 - Lazarus is there, and this guy had been DEAD…. D E A D…. Just one chapter ago in John 11…. But now he’s not, and he’s at your house for the dinner party

Martha is making dinner...ROLLS!!! (like those honey butter croissants from Cheddars…)

(In LUKE) so as much as we praise Mary’s act of worship, Martha’s job (as hostess) was a very important part of Jesus’ ministry

**Serving Jesus is not unimportant…but Worshipping Him is MUCH MORE important and POSTURE MATTERS

2. Some people won’t understand

Remember - Self-Centeredness is antithetical to the Fruit of the Spirit

Me, Me, Me

Mark‬ ‭14:4-5‬

4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

Indignant - Feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment.

Selfish people - they don’t really care about the poor, they’re just jealous of what others have! Or what they DON’T have

“It’s…. UNFAIR!!!”

It’s not that they really care that you have a nice house, they just wish theirs was bigger... It’s not that they really care than you drive a Mercedes, they’re just ashamed of their Toyota... It’s not that they really care that you seem to have it all together, they are really upset that their life hasn’t turned out how they thought it would

Do you REALLY want what’s fair?

Fair = Getting what you deserve, and only what you deserve

What we DESERVE is HELL

What we DESIRE is GRACE

James 4:6b (TLV)

“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

WE CANNOT RECEIVE GRACE IF WE’RE SELFISH, PRIDEFUL, CRITICAL…

Be Happy that your coworker got a promotion Be Happy that your friend got a new car Your time will come...Don’t play the comparison game - it will kill you! Some of you need to quit looking at someone else’s Facebook & Instagram and complaining about how your life doesn’t measure up to their highlight real... IT’S NOT REAL!!! It will just make you bitter

Hebrews‬ ‭12:14-15‬

14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

YOUR BITTERNESS DOESN’T JUST AFFECT YOU!!

Judas - full of jealousy and bitterness, looked for an opportunity, and it only took him a few days…

Mark‬ ‭14:10-11‬

10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. 11 They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

Jesus literally just finished rebuking Judas for his arrogance… and he IMMEDIATELY went to the religious leaders to betray Jesus…

Can I tell you… How you handle criticism will reveal who/what you worship?!

Do you run off an run your mouth when you’re corrected?

Can you receive correction without getting defensive?

3. How you worship is an indicator of WHO (or what) you worship

Worship = Worth-ship

Like Friend-ship

We worship God because He is WORTHY of our Worship

Of course, This is an EXTRAVAGANT gift

John 12:3 - a Pint of Pure Nard (16 oz) Mark 14:5 - more than a year’s wages

300 denarii = 300 days of pay Somewhere around $53,490 (avg annual income in 2022)

US Bureau of Labor and Satistics

If I look at your bank account, I can tell you who you worship

Mary’s gift is more significant than you think

I told you there would be a test later…. What is Mark about? Messiah = "the Anointed One"

Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus - p.16

“Instead of being crowned during a coronation, Hebrew Kings were anointed with sacred oil perfumed with extremely expensive spices.  Only used for consecrating objects in the temple and for anointing priests and kings, the sacred anointing oil would have been more valuable than diamonds.  The marvelous scent that it left behind acted like an invisible “crown,” conferring an aura of holiness on its recipients.  Everything and everyone with that unique fragrance was recognized as belonging to God in a special way.”

The Majesty of a king was expressed, not only by what he wore (jewelry and robes), but by his “royal aroma”

Example: King David:

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭45:7-8‬

7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. 8 All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad.

MARY anointed Jesus as King…RIGHT before Palm Sunday

John‬ ‭12:12-13‬

12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!”

Do you see the Messianic Declaration?? Save us, King of Israel

He rode into Jerusalem on a Donkey, just like King Solomon had done long ago, and he had the AROMA of a King!

Have you ever been around someone that wears essential oils? It only takes a FEW DROPS, and some of these are STRONG!!

We’ve got this detergent called Diva Wash…. Even after 2 weeks, our blankets still smell… Imagine a pint…2 cups of oil...Jesus would have had the aroma of a King while he was being crucified

They even give him a crown and a purple robe While they were beating him, while they were driving nails into his hands and feet, he had the aroma of a KING.

Can we go just one level deeper?

1 Peter‬ ‭2:9‬

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

In the Old Testament, Priests would minister to the Lord.  worship was an activity - animal sacrifice.  It’s often described as a “pleasing aroma” to the Lord

Here’s our Word from the Lord...

How do you smell?

Do you stink? Do you even have a smell? When you walk into the room, do you carry the Royal Aroma of the King of Kings? Do people know you carry the presence of God before you tell them?

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭22:4 (TLV)

22:3 in MOST translations

4 Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.

This is why we place such an incredibly high value on Worship here at Resonance Church

If you want to walk in the Power of God, if you want to live a life of Blessing - START with WORSHIP

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you?

You don’t have to wait...we’re going to do it right now...

Psalm 22:4 (NKJV)

Our fathers trusted in You;

They trusted, and You delivered them.