A Wonderful Witness - Mark 14:3-9
A Wonderful Witness - Mark 14:3-9
By Pastor Lee Hemen
February 6, 2011 AM
What kind of impact does our Christianity have on those around us? If we were suddenly taken ill, would those we come into contact with on a daily basis miss us because of the witness we portray? We believe that faith in Jesus changes people, do we not? Yet, has our faith changed us to the point whereby we make any kind of spiritual impact on those around us because of it? I am not talking about being a good worker, showing up on time, being kind or being studious because even very ungodly people can do these things quite well. Do people actually see and hear Jesus in our attitude and actions, and as Paul told the Corinthians that “Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.” (2 Corinthians 9:13 NIV) Would others say that we are a wonderful witness for the Lord?
There are some stories in the Bible that grab a hold of your heart and just won’t let go. The widow Elisha helps, the friendship of David and Jonathan, the good-bye of Paul to the Ephesians, when Jesus washes his disciple’s feet, Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, his death burial and resurrection, and here in Mark the simple story of a young woman who anoints Jesus with nard perfume. Every time I read it, I am moved because of the selfless act of the woman involved compared to those reclining at the table with Jesus. There is no denying that her act is a wonderful witness. Mark’s gospel gives us insight into the last few days Jesus had remaining with his disciples. We find them at a dinner hosted for Jesus and his friends. During the meal one woman does something so beautiful that her wonderful witness has been remembered for all time. Let’s find out this morning what she did and how it has been remembered.
READ: Mark 14:3-9
Jesus would soon sacrifice himself for our sins. He would become the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And here in a captured moment of time we discover someone who is so gracious and lovely in her witness that it makes us pause. Would others that day see her actions as a wonderful witness? Sadly, no, because…
I. We often fail to see or be a wonderful witness! (Vv. 3-5)
1. One’s perfume can either turn heads or stomachs! We learn in John’s account of this incident that it was Mary, Lazarus and Martha’s sister. They evidently had been invited to Simon the Leper’s house as well. Perhaps they knew him and had introduced him to Jesus. More than likely he had been cured by Jesus because even though Jesus was adept at ignoring social norms in favor of witnessing to folks, we do not find him going here to heal Simon, but rather to eat with him. This, none of the disciples, Mary, Martha or Lazarus would have done if he had still been infected with leprosy. We find them in a perfect setting of friends sharing a meal together. And we find that impetuous woman Mary doing what she always did best – being with her Master. While others were reclining at the table we find that she comes in “with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard.” Nard was made from a plant found in the East Indies, with a small, slender stalk, and a heavy, thick root. The best perfume was obtained from the root. “She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.” While others were feeding themselves, Mary was getting ready to anoint her Master, while others sat and enjoyed each other’s company, Mary thought only of giving the one she loved a beautiful gift. Yet not everyone shared her enthusiasm and could only be indignant in their comments, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor.” Where Mary succeeded the others failed. They actually rebuke her "harshly" for her wonderful witness! Why is it we often fail to see or be a wonderful witness? Perhaps it is because we fill ours lives up with what does not truly may not matter and we miss that which truly does. The disciples did that day. The woman Mary focused on glorifying God, they were only concerned for the cost involved. I am reminded of what Paul told the elders of the church from Ephesus concerning this, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.” (Acts 20:24) Paul did not want them to fail in their witness for the Lord. And there is the problem that we face: We often fail to see or be a wonderful witness!
EXAMPLE: Now let me ask you, “Do you turn heads or stomachs?” Are you a spiritual glutton at God’s banquet table? We can get so caught up in satisfying our own selfish selves, gaining pride in our own accomplishments, and focusing on feeding ourselves, that we do not think about what would truly please Jesus. We feast while others starve right before our eyes. Why? We believe that if it pleases us or goes along with what we desire in life, then it must certainly be God’s will. Nothing could be further from the truth! We may have sold ourselves an empty plate for a life of dirty dishes. Few Christians today sacrifice anything in order to glorify the Lord. We have gorged ourselves with too many things thinking that by giving God a few scraps of our time once in awhile, if it does not interfere with anything we want to do, that we have somehow glorified him in some way. Our job, our school, our families, our friends, our time, our talent, or our treasure are not ours to do with as we see fit. We forget that God has graciously given each of them to us. We are too content at God’s table, too laidback and willing to rebuke another’s wonderful witness instead. In doing so, we often fail to see or be a wonderful witness ourselves! We would do well to remember this woman’s wonderful witness. Paul wrote, “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” (Philippians 3:7 NIV) What have you lost for the Lord? Have you failed to see or be a wonderful witness for the Lord?
Without a word or without any announcement, a young woman begins to minister to Jesus. All the others that day were only interested in the fare provided, the witty conversation, or a moment to relax. She was motivated by her gracious heart to do something special for one she loved. And because of what she does and how she does it, we learn of…
II. A wonderful witness that will always be remembered! (Vv. 6-9)
1. Smelly Christians really stink for the Lord! Let me explain: Jesus reminds his fellow countrymen what truly mattered here. He bluntly tells them, “Leave her alone!” and then asks them, “Why are you bothering her?” I do not believe her detractors were really interested in the poor at all. She had “done a beautiful thing to” Jesus, but had they? No. Jesus immediately reveals their selfishness. He tells them that “The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want.” Jesus was not giving his disciples or future believers an excuse to ignore the poor around them; rather he was putting their arrogant argument into proper perspective. If they had truly wanted to help the poor they could have done so at any time and they could still do so at any time. “But you will not always have me,” he tells them. What Mary did that day was show her faith, her devotion, her love and honor for Jesus. They all should have applauded her selflessness and her witness of servanthood. Her act sprung from a real and sincere love for Jesus, and was designed for his honor and glory; and so had the aroma of something quite wonderful. John relates to us that it was Judas, Jesus’ betrayer, who voiced his concern for the cost of her gift. In hindsight John relates that Judas “did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.” (John 12:6) However, the other gospel writers do not mention it was just Judas who voiced their false concern, but that it was all of them. And John curiously leaves out what the other writers include, namely that Jesus tell them, “She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.” His meaning is clear, they had done nothing. She may not have understood what she did at the time, but Jesus did. He faced betrayal by one of his own, and the others would either do a brash act of defiance that could have gotten them all killed or simply run away as they all ultimately do. Only one, ahead of time, had the sensitivity of the Spirit to perform something so wonderful that it deeply touched Jesus. Today we will remember Jesus through the celebration and remembrance of the Lord’s Supper, but when Mary “poured [the nard] on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair,” her wonderful witness would always be remembered. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus solemnly tells them, that “wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Today, we discover the smell of a wonderful witness that will always be remembered.
EXAMPLE: Now let me ask, “How do we stink for the Lord?” What wonderful witness for the Lord of ours will be remembered by others? Sadly, there are far too few Christians who are remembered in this way when in fact it should be the majority of believers. I fear we have bought into the lie that anything we do as a believer, including getting up in the morning, witnesses as long as we think it does. It does not. Little of what we do in life actually witnesses. How can I say such a bold thing? I am not talking about spiritual neutrality here. Whereby, as long as we think good thoughts, are pleasant, or treat others decently we are being a witness for the Lord. Do we actually “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse [us] of doing wrong, they may see [our] good deeds and glorify God [because of our selfless and Christ-like actions and attitudes] on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:12 NIV) Being a witness allows others to smell the aroma of Christ in our lives. It is a life of sacrifice as Paul related, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 NIV) Is our life lived this way? If not, our witness will not be remembered as honoring to the Lord. We are to “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV) Let's not stink in our witness, but rather become a fragrant offering. A perfume of sacrifice, the fragrant nard poured out on the lives of others and we will be a wonderful witness that will always be remembered!
Conclusion:
1) We often fail to see or be a wonderful witness and we need to become 2) a wonderful witness that will always be remembered!
----
Pastor Lee Hemen has been the outspoken pastor of the same church for 25 years in Vancouver, WA. He writes regularly on spirituality and conservative causes and maintains several web blogs. This article is copyrighted © 2011 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
By Pastor Lee Hemen
February 6, 2011 AM
What kind of impact does our Christianity have on those around us? If we were suddenly taken ill, would those we come into contact with on a daily basis miss us because of the witness we portray? We believe that faith in Jesus changes people, do we not? Yet, has our faith changed us to the point whereby we make any kind of spiritual impact on those around us because of it? I am not talking about being a good worker, showing up on time, being kind or being studious because even very ungodly people can do these things quite well. Do people actually see and hear Jesus in our attitude and actions, and as Paul told the Corinthians that “Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.” (2 Corinthians 9:13 NIV) Would others say that we are a wonderful witness for the Lord?
There are some stories in the Bible that grab a hold of your heart and just won’t let go. The widow Elisha helps, the friendship of David and Jonathan, the good-bye of Paul to the Ephesians, when Jesus washes his disciple’s feet, Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, his death burial and resurrection, and here in Mark the simple story of a young woman who anoints Jesus with nard perfume. Every time I read it, I am moved because of the selfless act of the woman involved compared to those reclining at the table with Jesus. There is no denying that her act is a wonderful witness. Mark’s gospel gives us insight into the last few days Jesus had remaining with his disciples. We find them at a dinner hosted for Jesus and his friends. During the meal one woman does something so beautiful that her wonderful witness has been remembered for all time. Let’s find out this morning what she did and how it has been remembered.
READ: Mark 14:3-9
Jesus would soon sacrifice himself for our sins. He would become the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And here in a captured moment of time we discover someone who is so gracious and lovely in her witness that it makes us pause. Would others that day see her actions as a wonderful witness? Sadly, no, because…
I. We often fail to see or be a wonderful witness! (Vv. 3-5)
1. One’s perfume can either turn heads or stomachs! We learn in John’s account of this incident that it was Mary, Lazarus and Martha’s sister. They evidently had been invited to Simon the Leper’s house as well. Perhaps they knew him and had introduced him to Jesus. More than likely he had been cured by Jesus because even though Jesus was adept at ignoring social norms in favor of witnessing to folks, we do not find him going here to heal Simon, but rather to eat with him. This, none of the disciples, Mary, Martha or Lazarus would have done if he had still been infected with leprosy. We find them in a perfect setting of friends sharing a meal together. And we find that impetuous woman Mary doing what she always did best – being with her Master. While others were reclining at the table we find that she comes in “with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard.” Nard was made from a plant found in the East Indies, with a small, slender stalk, and a heavy, thick root. The best perfume was obtained from the root. “She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.” While others were feeding themselves, Mary was getting ready to anoint her Master, while others sat and enjoyed each other’s company, Mary thought only of giving the one she loved a beautiful gift. Yet not everyone shared her enthusiasm and could only be indignant in their comments, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor.” Where Mary succeeded the others failed. They actually rebuke her "harshly" for her wonderful witness! Why is it we often fail to see or be a wonderful witness? Perhaps it is because we fill ours lives up with what does not truly may not matter and we miss that which truly does. The disciples did that day. The woman Mary focused on glorifying God, they were only concerned for the cost involved. I am reminded of what Paul told the elders of the church from Ephesus concerning this, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.” (Acts 20:24) Paul did not want them to fail in their witness for the Lord. And there is the problem that we face: We often fail to see or be a wonderful witness!
EXAMPLE: Now let me ask you, “Do you turn heads or stomachs?” Are you a spiritual glutton at God’s banquet table? We can get so caught up in satisfying our own selfish selves, gaining pride in our own accomplishments, and focusing on feeding ourselves, that we do not think about what would truly please Jesus. We feast while others starve right before our eyes. Why? We believe that if it pleases us or goes along with what we desire in life, then it must certainly be God’s will. Nothing could be further from the truth! We may have sold ourselves an empty plate for a life of dirty dishes. Few Christians today sacrifice anything in order to glorify the Lord. We have gorged ourselves with too many things thinking that by giving God a few scraps of our time once in awhile, if it does not interfere with anything we want to do, that we have somehow glorified him in some way. Our job, our school, our families, our friends, our time, our talent, or our treasure are not ours to do with as we see fit. We forget that God has graciously given each of them to us. We are too content at God’s table, too laidback and willing to rebuke another’s wonderful witness instead. In doing so, we often fail to see or be a wonderful witness ourselves! We would do well to remember this woman’s wonderful witness. Paul wrote, “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” (Philippians 3:7 NIV) What have you lost for the Lord? Have you failed to see or be a wonderful witness for the Lord?
Without a word or without any announcement, a young woman begins to minister to Jesus. All the others that day were only interested in the fare provided, the witty conversation, or a moment to relax. She was motivated by her gracious heart to do something special for one she loved. And because of what she does and how she does it, we learn of…
II. A wonderful witness that will always be remembered! (Vv. 6-9)
1. Smelly Christians really stink for the Lord! Let me explain: Jesus reminds his fellow countrymen what truly mattered here. He bluntly tells them, “Leave her alone!” and then asks them, “Why are you bothering her?” I do not believe her detractors were really interested in the poor at all. She had “done a beautiful thing to” Jesus, but had they? No. Jesus immediately reveals their selfishness. He tells them that “The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want.” Jesus was not giving his disciples or future believers an excuse to ignore the poor around them; rather he was putting their arrogant argument into proper perspective. If they had truly wanted to help the poor they could have done so at any time and they could still do so at any time. “But you will not always have me,” he tells them. What Mary did that day was show her faith, her devotion, her love and honor for Jesus. They all should have applauded her selflessness and her witness of servanthood. Her act sprung from a real and sincere love for Jesus, and was designed for his honor and glory; and so had the aroma of something quite wonderful. John relates to us that it was Judas, Jesus’ betrayer, who voiced his concern for the cost of her gift. In hindsight John relates that Judas “did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.” (John 12:6) However, the other gospel writers do not mention it was just Judas who voiced their false concern, but that it was all of them. And John curiously leaves out what the other writers include, namely that Jesus tell them, “She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.” His meaning is clear, they had done nothing. She may not have understood what she did at the time, but Jesus did. He faced betrayal by one of his own, and the others would either do a brash act of defiance that could have gotten them all killed or simply run away as they all ultimately do. Only one, ahead of time, had the sensitivity of the Spirit to perform something so wonderful that it deeply touched Jesus. Today we will remember Jesus through the celebration and remembrance of the Lord’s Supper, but when Mary “poured [the nard] on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair,” her wonderful witness would always be remembered. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus solemnly tells them, that “wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Today, we discover the smell of a wonderful witness that will always be remembered.
EXAMPLE: Now let me ask, “How do we stink for the Lord?” What wonderful witness for the Lord of ours will be remembered by others? Sadly, there are far too few Christians who are remembered in this way when in fact it should be the majority of believers. I fear we have bought into the lie that anything we do as a believer, including getting up in the morning, witnesses as long as we think it does. It does not. Little of what we do in life actually witnesses. How can I say such a bold thing? I am not talking about spiritual neutrality here. Whereby, as long as we think good thoughts, are pleasant, or treat others decently we are being a witness for the Lord. Do we actually “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse [us] of doing wrong, they may see [our] good deeds and glorify God [because of our selfless and Christ-like actions and attitudes] on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:12 NIV) Being a witness allows others to smell the aroma of Christ in our lives. It is a life of sacrifice as Paul related, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 NIV) Is our life lived this way? If not, our witness will not be remembered as honoring to the Lord. We are to “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV) Let's not stink in our witness, but rather become a fragrant offering. A perfume of sacrifice, the fragrant nard poured out on the lives of others and we will be a wonderful witness that will always be remembered!
Conclusion:
1) We often fail to see or be a wonderful witness and we need to become 2) a wonderful witness that will always be remembered!
----
Pastor Lee Hemen has been the outspoken pastor of the same church for 25 years in Vancouver, WA. He writes regularly on spirituality and conservative causes and maintains several web blogs. This article is copyrighted © 2011 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
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